Sustainable Communities
Approaches to meeting present and future environmental, social and economic needs.
Funding Opportunities
Municipalities have a variety of sources they can look to for funding in the sustainability initiatives. Grants and loans are available for a wide variety of projects, from energy audits and stream restoration to open space planning and historic restoration and preservation.
Air Quality
- Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE)
Financial and technical assistance to help communities reduce releases of toxic pollutants and minimize exposure to them.
Beach Protection
- Shore Protection Grants and Loans
Funds are available to protect existing development from sea-level rise and shoreline migration through dune creation and maintenance, beach fill projects and repair of existing shore protection structures.
Community Forestry
- Green Communities Grant Under the New Jersey Shade Tree & Community Forestry Assistance Act of 1996, the New Jersey Community Forestry Program awards Green Community Grants of $3,000 to communities for the development of comprehensive community forestry management plans. The funding allows a county or municipality to hire an outside firm to assist in the production of a community forestry management plan. Green Communities Grant applicantions are available annually in the Summer/Fall with an application deadline in the first week of December.
- Community Stewardship Incentive Program (CSIP) Grant The CSIP grant provides municipalities or counties with up to $25,000 to help implement forestry goals and objectives as stated in their five year community forestry management plan. Only municipalities and counties with Approved Status under the New Jersey Shade Tree and Community Forestry Assistance Act. This grant is a cost-sharing grant with a ratio of seventy-five percent grant to twenty-five percent match of cash or in-kind services. CSIP grant applications are available annually in the Fall with an application deadline in the first week of December.
Conservation
- Conservation Resources Inc. Small Grants program
This program provides funding for non-profit conservation organizations working in the Garden State. These grants are designed to provide assistance to exemplary land acquisition, stewardship and restoration projects by providing seed money for the initiation of projects, to help cover certain costs which are not fully reimbursable by other existing grant programs, such as appraisal and survey expenses, and to provide matching funds to support non-profit stewardship and restoration projects.
Energy
- Local Government Energy Audit New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program will pay up to 100 percent of the cost of energy audits for county and municipal government buildings.
- NJ Natural Gas Conserve to Preserve Community Rewards This is a fundraising opportunity enabling schools and nonprofits to earn up to $5,000 by signing up households to use a free online tool that helps them track and analyze their energy use. Available in Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex and Morris Counties.
- The New Jersey Wind Program This web page provides information resources for those interested in learning about terrestrial sited wind generation and financial incentives offered through New Jersey's Clean Energy Program.
- PSE&G Solar Loan Program Municipalities and other non-residential customers, which plan to install a solar photovoltaic system and are located within PSE&G’s electric service territory, may apply to PSE&G for a loan for part of the cost of the system. These Solar Loans can be paid from Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs).
Farmland Preservation
- NJ State Agriculture Development Committee Farmland Preservation Program
Planning Incentive Grants (PIG) are offered to municipalities for the purchase of development easement to permanently protect large blocks of contiguous farmland. Municipalities must have a farmland preservation plan element in the master plan and establish and maintain a dedicated source of funding or alternative means of funding farmland preservation.
Habitat Conservation
- Landowner Incentive Program This program provides private landowners with financial and technical assistance to conserve threatened and endangered species on their property.
- NJDEP Conserve Wildlife Matching Grant Program Funds are made available to projects that benefit New Jersey's nongame wildlife through education, outreach, research, conservation, species protection or habitat management, or a combination of these, undertaken by certified non-profit organizations
- Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) The Natural Resource Conservation Service at USDA offers technical and financial assistance to help improve or develop fish and wildlife habitat on private lands.
- US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has variety of grants available to governments, public and private groups and individuals.
- The New Jersey Highlands Council has an active grants program by which it provides funds for projects that promote the goals of the Highlands Act or further the Regional Master Plan.
The Highlands Council has approved approximately $12.7 million in funds for Municipal Partnership Pilot Projects, COAH Planning, County Zoning and Parcel Analysis, County Digital Elevation Analysis, County Wastewater Capacity Analysis, County Approved Project Analysis, Sustainable Agriculture, Transfer of Development Rights Feasibility, Initial Assessment and Plan Conformance grants.
Historic Preservation
- Garden State Historic Pres Trust Fund
- Revolving Loan Fund
- Emergency Grant and Loan Fund
- Cultural Trust Capital Preservation Grant Program
Provides support and protection for historic resources through several categories of grants.
Open Space Preservation
- NJDEP Green Acres Municipal and county governments can receive low interest loans and grants to acquire and preserve open space and develop outdoor recreation facilities. The Green Acres grant and loan programs can assist municipalities in acquiring park and recreation areas listed in the towns Open Space and Recreation Plan. DEP will provide a grant that will cover 50% of the land acquisition costs of a particular tract. Municipalities must have an Open Space Trust Fund and an Open Space and Recreation Plan to be eligible. Municipalities can also apply for specific project grants at 25% of the cost of the project if the municipality does not qualify for the Planning Incentive program. The municipality has to supply a match for the remaining cost or 75% of the project. The Green Trust is the source of Green Acres funding and it also provides funds for historic preservation, farmland preservation, and public parkland acquisition.
- NJDEP Coastal Blue Acres Loans and Grants Funding is available to municipalities in certain coastal areas to acquire storm-damaged property for future storm protection and recreation and conservation purposes. Defines coastal areas as those within the CAFRA zone.
Solid Waste
- Local Tire Management Program Fund Grants To properly cleanup abandoned tire pile sites. This program is currently not funded.
- Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions ANJEC provides Sustainable Land Use Planning Grants matching reimbursement grants of up to $20,000 to municipalities for local or regional plans, ordinances, studies or document reviews that protect natural resources and establish the land use patterns envisioned in the State Plan. Contact: Kerry Miller or call (973) 539-7547.
- EPA Sustainable Communities Building Blocks Program provides quick, targeted technical assistance to communities that are attempting to develop in a more economically and environmentally sustainable manner. The Building Blocks assistance tools include the Walking Audit, Sustainable Land Use Code Audit and Complete Streets.
- Grants to Green Communities The Enterprise Foundation is offering grants to Green Communities to help cover the costs of planning and implementing green components of affordable housing developments, as well as tracking their costs and benefits.
- The Kodak American Greenways Awards Program This program is a partnership project of the Eastman Kodak Company, the National Geographic Society, and the Conservation Fund, provides seed grants of up to $2,500 to stimulate the planning and design of greenways in communities throughout America. Greenways are corridors of protected public and private land established along rivers, ridges, abandoned railroad corridors, utility right-of-ways, canals, scenic roads, or other linear features.
- The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) In collaboration with the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development, SARE offers competitive grants for model projects that others can replicate to strengthen the position of sustainable agriculture as it affects community economic development. Proposals must address key issues such as finance, marketing, land use, water use, enterprise development, value-added activities, and labor. Starting with the 2010 award cycle, these grants will be capped at $15,000.
- Sustainable Jersey Funding and resources to municipalities to aid in actions toward certification under the Sustainable Jersey program. Small grants program funds greening and sustainability initiatives to help communities improve the quality of life for their residents.
Transportation/Trails
- New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Transportation Enhancement Grants Grants are provided through the NJDOT for local and county projects that improve the aesthetic and cultural qualities of transportation in New Jersey. Projects may include the creation of bicycle and pedestrian trails, restoration of historic canals, historic train station rehabilitation, improvements of downtown streetscapes and others.
- National Recreational Trails Program Financial assistance is available for developing and maintaining trails and trail facilities. Trails can be for non-motorized, multi-use and motorized purposes. Trail facility must be public land or private land with an easement for public recreational use. The 2012 round of grant applications will be available in September of 2011.
- Safe Routes to School Program The goal of New Safe Routes to School Program is to assist New Jersey communities in developing and implementing projects and programs that encourage walking and bicycling to school while enhancing the safety of these trips.
- Local Bikeway Program In an effort to establish regionally connected bicycle networks, this program is available to every municipality and county throughout New Jersey. Although priority will be given to construction of new bike paths, the proposed construction or delineation of any new bicycle facility will be considered.
Water Quality/Watershed Protection
- NJDEP Nonpoint Source Pollution To provide grants to conduct nonpoint source management in the 20 watershed management areas in New Jersey.
- Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program To provide low-interest loans to finance the costs of infrastructure needed to achieve or maintain compliance with Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements and to protect the public health in conformance and objectives of the SDWA.
- New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program This Program provides low cost loans to municipalities for the construction of environmental infrastructure projects that can include wastewater systems, drinking water supplies, stormwater control and open space acquisition and conservation that preserves water quality and quantity. All parcels to be funded can only allow passive recreation and must demonstrate a water quality benefit. Loans are also available to municipalities, usually not less than $200,000.
- Pinelands Infrastructure Trust Financing Program Municipalities can receive funding for wastewater treatment facilities to accommodate existing and future needs in the 23 designated Pinelands Regional Growth Areas.
- Dam Restoration and Inland Water Projects Loan Program To provide low-interest loans to assist in the funding of dam restorations, flood control projects, water pollution control projects, and water related recreation and conservation projects.
- Wetlands Mitigation Council This is a federally directed council which evaluates wetland projects and funding requests. Funds are allocated to city, county and non-profit organizations whose goal is to protect and restore wetlands within the public domain.
- Northeastern Integrated Pest Management Center offers funding through the IPM Partnership Grants Program. Funds are available for a maximum of $30,000 per project for northeastern public and private institutions or organizations, businesses and individuals. Eligible projects must advance integrated pest management. Applications must be submitted on line by December 14, 2011.
For more information on any of these programs please contact the ANJEC Resource Center or call 975-5397547.
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