The Office of Environmental Justice (EJ) offers competitive grants to support and empower communities as they develop and implement solutions that significantly address environmental issues, harms, and health hazards, build community consensus, set priorities, and improve public outreach and education.
Eligible sole applicants must be must be 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organizations. Organizations with other types of tax-exempt status, such as 501(c)(4), are not eligible to apply for an EJ grant without a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. Eligibility requirements may vary between grant opportunities. Please read the corresponding Request for Applications for detail, application instructions, and eligibility requirements.
Past projects funded by OEJ can be viewed on Open Data.
Application Submission
Applications must be submitted through the NYS SFS Grants Management System. Using Microsoft Edge to access the Statewide Financial System is recommended. Using other browsers may cause errors in the Work Plan section of the application.
If you do not have access to the SFS Vendor Portal and if your organization is already established within the SFS Vendor portal, an SFS Delegated Administrator has been authorized within your organization to provision user login credentials, unlock accounts, or reset passwords. Please reach out to your SFS Delegated Administrator directly.
Also, if you do not have a login and if you are new to the SFS Vendor portal and would like to establish an account for the purposes of doing business with the State of New York, contact the SFS Help Desk at 518-457-7717, 855-233-8363 or [email protected] for more information.
The NYS SFS Grants Management system offers a Vendor User Manual, training videos and webinars for applicants requiring assistance. Please visit the Grants Management webpage on transition to SFS.
Paper applications will not be accepted. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their applications prior to the application deadline. Late applications will not be accepted.
Please note, staff with a Bid Response Initiator role can begin a bid, but only staff with the Bid Response Submitter role can submit the bid response.
All Applicants must be Registered with SFS Grants Management to apply. Please visit the Grants Management webpage on transition to SFS.
In addition to registration, not-for-profits must also be prequalified at the time and date that the application is due. If you are not Prequalified at that time and date, your application will not be considered.
Please do not delay in beginning and completing the prequalification process. Please visit the grants management prequalification page to get started.
The state reserves 5 days to review submitted prequalification applications. Prequalification applications submitted to the state for review less than 5 days prior to review submitted prequalification applications.
Prequalification applications submitted to the state for review less than 5 days prior to any OEJ grant application due date may not be considered.
Applicants should not assume that their prequalification information will be reviewed if they do not adhere to this timeframe.
Applicant Prequalification
Pursuant to the New York State Division of Budget Bulletin H-1032 Revised, effective July 16, 2014, New York State has instituted key reform initiatives to the Master Contract for Grants contract. Information on these initiatives can be found on the Grants Reform Website.
All Applicants must be Prequalified in the SFS Grants Management System at the time and date that the application is due. Applications from non-prequalified entities will be rejected. The system will not allow you to submit your bid.
The SFS Handbook: SFS Training for Vendors guide is available on SFS Coach and includes guidance for prequalification. Additional training is available on SFS Coach.
If you are not familiar with SFS Grants Management, there are many resources available to help you register and become Prequalified on the NYS Grants Management Website including:
- Video tutorials on Grants Management Registration or Prequalification
- SFS Handbook: SFS Training for Vendors includes walkthroughs for the Bid process
Please Note: The information included here regarding Prequalification is not intended to be exhaustive. The SFS Grants Management help desk/hotline can be reached at (518) 457-7717 and [email protected], Monday through Friday 8 AM through 4 PM.
Register for the Statewide Financial System
On the SFS Grants Management Website, download a copy of the Registration Form for SFS Vendors. A signed, notarized original form must be sent to the NYS Grants Reform Team at the address provided in the instructions. You will be provided with a Username and Password allowing you to access the SFS Grants Management Vendor Portal.
The Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act
- The Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act
- On November 8, 2022, New Yorkers overwhelming approved a ballot proposition to make $4.2 billion available for environmental and community projects. DEC can access funding to protect water quality, help communities adapt to climate change, improve resiliency and create green jobs.
- Bond Act Funding will support new and expanded projects across the State to safeguard drinking water sources, reduce pollution, and project communities and natural resources from climate change.
- One Bond Act priority is to advance Environmental Justice. At least 35% of the funds' benefits disadvantaged communities significantly impacted by environmental changes.
- More information on the Bond Act
- Other Funds and Resources