Philip A. Palmesano headshot

Assemblymember

Philip A. Palmesano

Assembly District 132

Palmesano June ‘Grant Action News’ Update

June 6, 2025

Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C-Corning) is sending his “June Grant Action News Update” to residents, organizations and local governments regarding a series of grants available from the state, federal government and private entities. Each month, the Assembly provides an updated list of grants for a variety of categories.

“During a time of economic recovery, grants can play an integral part in helping our local communities complete needed infrastructure repairs or support underfunded projects,” said Palmesano. “Many people don’t realize the scope of available opportunities because they aren’t sure where to look. The ‘Grants Action News’ bulletin makes finding these grants much easier by consolidating the information and making it available to everyone. I hope residents, organizations and local governments throughout the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions will be able to use this resource to find much-needed support to strengthen communities in our rural areas.”

All not-for-profit applicants must now pre-qualify on the New York State Grants Reform website at grantsreform.ny.gov/grantees in order to apply for certain New York state grant solicitations. Potential not-for-profit applicants are strongly encouraged to begin the process of registering and prequalifying immediately as this is a lengthy process.

The Grant Action News bulletin is updated at the beginning of each month with newly available grants and information on how to apply.

The update can be accessed here: https://nyassembly.gov/gan/?sec=story&story=114192

State Grants:

NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH), Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) for Adults
The Flexible ACT teams will serve individuals who have serious mental illness (SMI) and who have not been successfully engaged by the traditional mental health treatment system. Flexible ACT builds on the evidence-based model of ACT by enhancing flexibility in the delivery of ACT services, tailored to meet an individual’s changing needs. The addition of Flexible ACT represents a commitment by the NYS OMH to ensure mental health services evolve to better meet the needs of the SMI population most disengaged in care.

NYS Department of Health (DOH), Ending Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Epidemic
This funding supports community mobilization to end the Hepatitis C epidemic. Community mobilization helps build the capacity of communities, individuals, groups and organizations to better plan, implement and evaluate activities on a participatory and sustained basis. Community mobilization supports public health efforts by empowering community members and groups to take action to facilitate change, including mobilizing equitable distribution of necessary resources, disseminating information, generating support and fostering cooperation across public and private sectors in the community.

Empire State Development (ESD), Global NY Fund Grant Program This fund provides grants and loans to help New York State’s small and medium-sized businesses go global and create new jobs.
  • Deadline: Rolling
  • Eligibility for For-Profit Companies:
    • be located in New York State
    • have 500 or fewer employees in New York State
    • intend to begin exporting or expand export sales in foreign markets
    • have at least one of the following:
      • 51% of the value of a finished product or service that originates in New York, the calculation of which includes the value of the raw materials and component parts, manufacturing process, advertising and promotion, distribution, warehousing and designs and other intellectual property or a business that is certified as a local producer through a regional chamber of commerce or economic development agency (e.g., Made in NY; Made in Brooklyn)
      • have a business that is viable and in existence for at least one year by the date of application for the Global NY Fund Grant
    • demonstrate need for grant assistance
    • demonstrate understanding of costs associated with exporting and doing business with foreign buyers, including costs of freight forwarding, customs brokers, packing, shipping, marketing, etc.
  • Eligibility for Not-For-Profit Organizations:
    • be located in New York State
    • have a demonstrated history of helping New York State businesses export and/or contribute to state or regional economic development through the promotion of international trade
    • be (or become) registered and up to date with its filing with the Office of Attorney General’s Charities Bureau, certified in the Office of the State Comptroller’s VendRep System, prequalified with New York State Grants Gateway and in compliance with all other relevant statutory requirements
    • be an unincorporated trade association, may be a co-applicant with a New York State not-for-profit organization, IDA or LDC, but the latter entity must be the contractual party if a grant is awarded
    • be prequalified in order to do business with New York State and to apply for grants. In order to prequalify, not-for-profit organizations must submit an online prequalification application through the Grants Gateway. The prequalification application is comprised of five components to gauge your organizational structure and the types of services you provide. The required forms and document uploads are all part of the document vault. Resources to complete the application and associated document vault can be found in the quick links section of the Grants Gateway website
  • Award Amounts: Up to $25,000 to help companies start exporting or increasing their global exports; up to $100,000 to help not-for-profit organizations that provide export assistance and trade education to New York State companies. The grants will reimburse up to 50% of total project costs for companies and 75% of total project costs for not-for-profit economic development organizations
  • Contact: globalny@esd.ny.gov
  • Links to Additional Information:

Federal Grants:

U.S. National Institutes of Health, Silvio O. Conte Centers for Basic Neuroscience or Translational Mental Health Research
NIMH seeks teams of researchers working at different levels of analysis and employing integrative, novel and creative experimental approaches to address high-risk, high-impact questions with the primary objectives of: advancing the state of the science in basic brain and behavior research that will uncover and dissect the underlying mechanisms that will ultimately provide the foundation for understanding mental disorders; supporting the integration and translation of basic and clinical neuroscience research on severe mental illnesses; and/or advancing our understanding of the neurobehavioral developmental mechanisms and trajectories of psychopathology that begin in childhood and adolescence.

  • Deadline: June 9, 2025
  • Eligible Applicants: For-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; other Native American tribal organizations; nonprofits non-higher education with 501(c)(3); nonprofits non-higher education without 501(c)(3); private institutions of higher education; public and state institutions of higher education; independent school districts; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public and Indian housing authorities; city or township governments; state governments; county governments
  • Award Ceiling: $2 million
  • Email: OERWebmaster03@od.nih.gov
  • Links to Additional Information:

U.S. Department of Justice, Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault & Stalking
This program funds transitional housing and support services for victims who are homeless or in need of transitional housing or other housing assistance as a result of a situation of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Regional Infrastructure Accelerator (RIA) Program
RIA grants assist entities in developing improved infrastructure priorities and financing strategies for the accelerated development of a project that is eligible for funding under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) Credit Program under Chapter 6 of Title 23, United States Code. These grants are intended to support RIAs that: serve a defined geographic area; act as a resource to qualified entities in the geographic area; and demonstrate the effectiveness of the RIA to expedite the delivery of projects eligible for the TIFIA credit program.

U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), Preservation and Access Education & Training
This program supports training that develops knowledge and skills among professionals responsible for preserving and establishing access to humanities collections. NEH will issue awards to organizations that offer national, regional, or statewide education and training programs that provide staff of cultural institutions with the knowledge and skills they need to serve as effective stewards of the humanities collections.

U.S. Dept. of Energy, Vehicle Technology Office Program
This funding will support innovation to reduce the energy and cost needed to move goods and people across the U.S., providing more options for consumers and businesses that can lead to the accelerated deployment of advanced technologies while also significantly improving U.S. competitiveness. This will lead to benefits including increased safety and reliability of batteries, more convenient travel options, decreased cost of driving, increased vehicle and system efficiency and a more secure supply chain. Specifically, this program is seeking innovative solutions for on and off-road vehicles in the areas of improved battery technology for both light- and heavy-duty applications, smart charging infrastructure, sustainable farming, workforce development and demonstration and deployment of these new technologies.

U.S. National Science Foundation, Future Manufacturing
This funding will support fundamental research, education and training of a future workforce to overcome scientific, technological, educational, economic and social barriers in order to catalyze new manufacturing capabilities that do not exist today.

  • Eligible Applicants: For-profit organizations: U.S.-based commercial organizations, including small businesses with strong capabilities in scientific or engineering research or education and a passion for innovation; nonprofit, non-academic organizations: independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies and similar organizations located in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activities; state and local governments; institutions of higher education (IHEs); two- and four-year IHEs (including community colleges) accredited in and having a campus located in the U.S. acting on behalf of their faculty members. Special instructions for international branch campuses of U.S. IHEs: if the proposal includes funding to be provided to an international branch campus of a U.S. institution of higher education (including through use of subawards and consultant arrangements), the proposer must explain the benefit(s) to the project of performance at the international branch campus and justify why the project activities cannot be performed at the U.S. campus; Tribal Nations: an American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, or community that the secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior acknowledges as a federally recognized tribe pursuant to the federally recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994, 25 U.S.C. §§ 5130-5131
  • Program Funding: $28 million
  • Award Ceiling: $3 million
  • Award Floor: $500,000
  • Contact Email: grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
  • Links to Additional Information:

U.S. National Institutes of Health, Centers of Excellence in Genomic Science (CEGS)

This funding establishes academic centers for advanced genome research. Each CEGS award supports a multi-investigator, interdisciplinary team to develop integrated, transformative genomic approaches to address a biomedical problem.

  • Deadline: June 23, 2025
  • Eligible Applicants: Small businesses; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; public and Indian housing authorities; state governments; county governments; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; city or township governments; special district governments; other Native American tribal organizations; nonprofits non-higher education without 501(c)(3); nonprofits non-higher education with 501(c)(3); public and state institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); eligible agencies of the federal government; faith-based or community based organizations; Hispanic-serving institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American Tribal governments (other than federally recognized); non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations); regional organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
  • Award Ceiling: $1.5 million
  • Contact Email: grantsinfo@nih.gov
  • Links to Additional Information:

U.S. Department of Transportation, Safe Streets and Roads for All
This funding will support planning and demonstration activities, as well as projects and strategies to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets involving all roadway users.

This funding will support planning and demonstration activities, as well as projects and strategies to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets involving all roadway users.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, North American Conservation Matching Fund
This funding supports public-private partnerships carrying out projects in the U.S. that further the goals of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. The program promotes partnership projects that must involve only long-term protection, restoration, enhancement and/or establishment of wetlands and associated upland habitats to benefit the diversity of wetland ecosystems and maintain an abundance of waterfowl.

Private Grants:

Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise

These awards support emerging to mid-level immigrant professionals who have demonstrated exceptional early career achievements. In 2026, the prizes will be awarded in biomedical science, fashion & design and fashion & culture.

  • Deadline: June 9, 2025
  • Biomedical Science Eligible Applicants Must:
    • have been born outside the U.S. to non-American parents
    • not be more than 38 years old as of December 31, 2025, (born on or after January 1, 1987), exceptions will be made for applicants who were born on January 1, 1985, to December 31, 1986, and who experienced career interruptions due to caregiving, medical, military, or parental leave
    • have lived in the U.S. for at least four years (or immigrated to the U.S. on or before December 31, 2021)
    • be one of the following: a naturalized citizen or a permanent resident of the U.S.; an H-1B or O-1 visa holder with a valid visa stamp; an H-4 visa holder with a valid EAD card; a recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) relief; an asylee or an asylum seeker who has applied for asylum and has a valid EAD card. Please note, among others, TN, F-1, and J-1 visa holders are not eligible for the prize. Applicants may be required to submit a scanned copy of a valid immigration document if their application progresses in the review process. The staff at the Vilcek Foundation will reach out with instructions at the appropriate time
    • have earned a doctoral degree (MD, PhD, or equivalent)
    • hold a full-time position at an academic institution or other organization. Eligible positions include the following: assistant or associate professor or equivalent independent position. Applicants required to work under the supervision of a mentor (such as postdoctoral fellows) are not eligible
    • be directly responsible for the design and execution of the work submitted for consideration and have coauthored at least one publication
    • have at least one publication as corresponding author
    • intend to pursue a professional career in the U.S.
    • not be a past recipient of the Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise
  • Fashion & Design Eligible Applicants Must:
    • have been born outside the U.S. to non-American parents
    • not be more than 38 years old as of December 31, 2025
    • have five years of professional experience in fields related to fashion & design and possess a strong track record of creative, high-caliber work
    • Fashion & Design Categories:
      • designers – including but not exclusive to womenswear, menswear, nonbinary clothing, textile design (including print, embellishment, knitwear, original fabric making for fashion) and accessories including footwear, bags, jewelry and other artifacts relating to the culture of fashion
      • environmental and technology designers – environmental designers, sustainability experts, eco-conscious creators and professionals designing wearable technologies
      • material innovation – professionals who develop new fabrics and innovative textile technologies such as smart textiles, eco-friendly fabrics and new dyeing/surface application techniques for various sectors including but not exclusive to uniforms, athletics, space, medical and innovative workwear
      • makeup artists/hair stylists – highly skilled artists and stylists who have achieved industry recognition for their work or experimental artists who push the breadth of materials used to both challenge and communicate perceived beauty ideals through the art and design of makeup or hair
  • Fashion & Culture Eligible Applicants Must:
    • have been born outside the U.S. to non-American parents
    • not be more than 38 years old as of December 31, 2025
    • have five years of professional experience in fields related to fashion & culture and possess a strong track record of creative, high-caliber work
    • Fashion & Culture Categories:
      • writers and researchers – including academic (historical, theoretical and anthropological), journalistic, critical and editorial
      • curators and museum professionals – including exhibitions, presentations and displays through real and/or virtual environments. It could include preservation and conservation
      • stylists – including editorials, advertising campaigns and fashion presentations
      • image makers – including fashion photography, film, animation, illustration and work in fashion tech
  • Number of Awards: nine awards, three awards in each category
  • Award Amounts: $50,000
  • Contact Email: info@vilcek.org
  • Links to Additional Information:

NYS Council on the Arts (NYSCA) & New York Foundation for the Arts, Reserve Fund Grants (RFG)

This program is open to nonprofit arts organizations based in New York State that have received direct funding from NYSCA in the last three years and have an operating budget of less than $3 million. Individual grant amounts will range from $10,000 to $75,000 in accordance with the applying organization’s operating budget. Organizations that choose to use grant funds to start a reserve fund and do not already have one at the time of applying are prioritized. Rural, BIPOC-led and community-based organizations are strongly encouraged to apply. In addition to providing support through direct funds, the RFG will offer one year of supplementary services focused on organizational sustainability and financial prudence. Each recipient will receive:

- one virtual workshop dedicated to organizational reserve funding and strategies to support long-term sustainability

- one hour-long one-on-one consulting session

- monthly office hours to field pressing questions in a communal setting

American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Foundation, Veterans Projects Fund (VPF) Grants

VPF grants are awarded to American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) tax-exempt entities for projects that meet a one-time, new need benefitting multiple veterans, military personnel and their families. ALA Foundation VPF grants may only be awarded to an ALA tax-exempt entity that is in good standing with both the IRS nonprofit tax guidelines and the ALA compliance standards. Grants may be awarded up to $10,000 for a project period not to exceed 12 months. ALA entities submitting grant proposals must demonstrate that they will be funding part of the project by providing a minimum of 20% of the total project’s funding cost.

■ Deadline: June 21, 2025

■ Eligible Applicants:

♦ must be an American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) entity – unit, district/county, or department

♦ must address a new, one-time need that supports veterans or military (Note: the ALA Foundation will not continue to fund the project after initial funding.)

♦ cannot exceed 80% of a qualifying grant’s project total

♦ must be responsible for balance of the project total

♦ can only be awarded one VPF grant in a 12-month period based on the last award date of the previous VPF grant

♦ must use awarded funds within 12 months of the grant award

♦ cannot have another outstanding VPF grant that is not in a closed status, with the final report being submitted

♦ must fill out and return the grant report, including photographs, at the conclusion of the project (See below for more reporting details.)

♦ sign an indefinite equipment use agreement and/or a new construction agreement if funds are being requested for equipment and/or a new construction project at another nonprofit organization serving veterans

♦ must be in good standing with the ALA in accordance with the IRS guidelines at the time of the application

♦ must recognize the ALA Foundation as a funder of all projects resulting from a VPF grant award

■ Award Amounts: Up to $10,000

■ Contact Email: ALAFoundation@ALAforVeterans.org

■ Links to Additional Information:

♦ https://alafoundation.org/veteran-projects-fund-grants/

♦ https://member.legion-aux.org/CMSDesk/ALA/media/PDF/Grants/Veteran_Projects_Fund_Grant_Application.pdf

Binc Foundation, Funding for Bookstore Owners, Booksellers, Comic Store Employees & Comic Store Owners with Unforeseen Emergency Financial Needs

This funding helps bookstore owners, booksellers and comic store employees and owners with unforeseen emergency financial needs.

■ Deadline: Rolling

■ Eligibility Requirements:

♦ must be a regular full- or part-time bookseller or comic employee/owner at a brick-and-mortar, mobile, or popup, bookstore or comic shop in the U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands or Guam

♦ must have been employed for a minimum of 90 days; or be an employee of a bookstore or comic store closed within the past 6 months (employee must have a minimum of 12 months tenure); or were employed by Borders Group in the year 2011; or are the immediate family member of a deceased bookseller

♦ and are experiencing an unforeseen financial hardship resulting from a specific, qualifying life event

■ Examples of qualifying events:

♦ domestic violence

♦ funeral

♦ natural disaster (fire, flood, earthquake, etc.)

♦ man-made disaster (blackout, brownout)

♦ mental health

♦ housing stability

♦ loss of household income due to caregiving, death in the family, disability, disruption in business, partner/spouse/household wage earner job loss

♦ serious medical expense

♦ utility shut-off and utility shut-off prevention

♦ other (not sure if the situation qualifies? Please get in touch)

■ Contact: info@bincfoundation.org

■ Links to Additional Information:

♦ https://bincfoundation.org/apply/

Awesome Foundation Grants

Have a crazy brilliant idea that needs funding? This foundation awards $1,000 grants every month. Each fully autonomous chapter supports awesome projects through micro-grants, usually given out monthly. These microgrants, $1,000 or the local equivalent, come out of pockets of the chapter’s “trustees” and are given on a no-strings-attached basis to people and groups working on awesome projects. Awesome projects include initiatives in a wide range of areas including arts, technology, community development and more.

■ Deadline: Rolling, monthly

■ Award Amount: $1,000

■ Contact: contact@awesomefoundation.org

■ Links to Additional Information:

♦ https://www.awesomefoundation.org/

♦ https://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/submissions/new

Scholar Awards:

Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation Scholarships

These scholarships help provide current and former special operations professionals from all branches of the government the means necessary to transition and succeed in civilian life. Scholarships are for current or former special operations professionals and their children used for traditional education, scholarships for current or former special operations professionals used for vocational and non-traditional training and subsidies and grants for the children of special operations professionals.

■ Deadline: June 15, 2025

■ Award Amount: $7,500

■ Awards Available: 18

■ Contact Email: scholarships@glendohertyfoundation.org

■ Link to Additional Information:

♦ https://www.glendohertyfoundation.org/scholarships

Hyundai Women in STEM College Scholarships

■ Eligible Applicants: High school seniors & college undergraduates who identify as female, reside in the U.S. and wish to pursue a STEM-related field of education

■ Deadline: June 30, 2025

■ Application Process: Write an essay of 500 words or more describing a tech project or initiative you envision in your chosen STEM field that addresses a real human need. Discuss how you would integrate empathy into your research and design process, how you’d ensure inclusivity and accessibility and the positive outcomes you foresee for individuals and communities when people remain the central focus of innovation

■ Award Amount: $10,000

■ Awards Available: Five

■ Contact Email: scholarships@tun.com

■ Link to Additional Information:

♦ https://www.tun.com/scholarships/the-hyundai-women-in-stem-scholarship/

Café Bustelo, El Café del Futuro Scholarship Program

These scholarships are for college students at institutions that are members of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU).

■ Deadline: June 30, 2025

■ Eligible Applicants Must:

♦ be currently enrolled for the spring 2025 semester/quarter and intend to enroll in the fall 2025 semester/quarter at a four-year HACU-member institution in the U.S. or Puerto Rico

♦ be an undergraduate and graduate student

♦ be enrolled full-time

♦ have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale)

♦ have applied for and received financial aid for the 2025–2026 academic year

♦ be considered first-generation college students. (The student’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) did not complete a four-year bachelor’s degree from a university in the U.S.)

■ Essay Requirements: An essay of 600 words or less (in English or Spanish) about three topics:

♦ how the applicant celebrates Latin culture with family, friends or community

♦ how these cultural experiences influenced the applicant’s desire and motivation to obtain a college degree

♦ how the applicant plans to use their education to further support and uplift their community or profession

■ Award Amount: $5,000

■ Awards Available: 25

■ Contact Link:

♦ https://www.cafebustelo.com/contact-us

■ Links to Additional Information:

♦ https://www.cafebustelo.com/community/scholarship

♦ https://hacu.net/programs/hacu-scholarship-program/

♦ https://my.hacu.net/images/hacu/Scholarship/2023-24%20Scholarship%20Cycle/UpdatedApplicantGuide_AwardSpring.pdf