Regional Council Capital Funds Program

Eligible Entity:  For-profit businesses, not-for-profit corporations, business improvement districts, local development corporations, public benefit corporations, economic development organizations, research and academic institutions, incubators, technology parks, municipalities, counties, regional planning councils, tourist attractions and community facilities.

Details: Capital grant funding is available for capital-based economic development projects that are intended to create or retain jobs; prevent, reduce or eliminate unemployment and underemployment; increase business or economic activity in a community or region and/or expand, construct, restore, or renovate New York State tourism destinations and attractions. Find more information here.

Program Contact: nys-capitaldist@esd.ny.gov 

Strategic Planning and Feasibility Studies

Eligible Entity: Cities, counties, towns, villages, business improvement districts, local development corporations, and not-for-profit economic development organizations.

Details: Up to $1 million is available for working capital grants of up to $100,000 each to support 1) strategic development plans for a city, county, or municipality or a significant part thereof and 2) feasibility studies for site(s) or facilit(ies) assessment and planning. Projects should focus on economic development benefits and impacts resulting from the project. Find more information here.

Program Contact: nys-capitaldist@esd.ny.gov 

Excelsior Jobs Program

Eligible Entity: For-profit business entities including corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and sole proprietorships.

Details: This program provides job creation and investment incentives to firms in strategic industries such as software development, scientific research and development, financial services, agriculture, manufacturing, back office, distribution, life sciences, music production and entertainment companies. Firms in these industries that create new jobs or retain existing jobs and make a significant capital investment are eligible to apply. Find more information here.

Program Contact: nys-capitaldist@esd.ny.gov 

Market New York (working capital only)

Eligible Entity: For-profit businesses, not-for-profit corporations, tourism promotion agencies, convention and visitor bureaus, destination marketing organizations, tourist attractions/destinations, business improvement districts, public benefit corporations and IDAs, local development corporations, economic development organizations, municipalities, counties, and community facilities.

Details: Funding is available for tourism marketing initiatives, the recruitment and/or execution of special events like festivals, expos, agritourism/craft beverage events and athletic tournaments, and the recruitment of business events like meetings, conferences, conventions and trade shows. Find more information here.

Program Guidelines: http://iloveny.com/MarketNY

New! Tourism Capital Projects: To provide program consistency and make a larger pot of funding available for tourism projects, tourism capital funding has been incorporated into the Regional Council Capital Funds Program. Find more information here.

Program Contact: RegionalTourism@esd.ny.gov 

Pro Housing Supply Funds

Eligible Entity: Pro-housing certified cities, towns, and villages. Counties and municipally designated non-profit economic development organizations are also eligible to apply; so long as the project occurs within a pro-housing certified municipality. Eligible entities must be able to demonstrate ownership of the site or provide proof of site control/permission form the entity that does own it.

Details: Capital grant funding is available to help finance essential infrastructure projects that will enable the development of housing projects. Infrastructure improvements include projects such as installations, and extensions of road, water, sewer, electrical, or other utilities. Applicants must demonstrate that grant funds will be used exclusively for infrastructure improvements that directly enable residential development, as well as a clear explanation of how the requested infrastructure improvements are essential to any planned residential development. Find more information here.

Program Contact: nys-capitaldist@esd.ny.gov