Up to $240,000 available for pollution prevention through Community Grants Program
New York State Pollution Prevention Institute now accepting project applications from organizations statewide for 2026–2027
NYSP2I’s Community Grants Program, now accepting applications for 2026-2027, has supported 193 projects throughout the state with grants totaling more than $3.2 million to date.
The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) is accepting applications for the organization’s 2026-2027 Community Grants Program. Now in its 19th year, the program continues to drive statewide impact, having funded 193 projects totaling more than $3.2 million for organizations across New York State.
The program, founded in 2008, is part of NYSP2I’s ongoing efforts to make the state more sustainable for workers, the public, the environment, and the economy through pollution prevention (P2). Also known as source reduction, P2 refers to practices that reduce or eliminate waste at the source by modifying production processes, promoting the use of non-toxic or less-toxic substances, implementing conservation techniques, and reusing materials rather than putting them into the waste stream.
Eligible applicants, which must be New York state-based community organizations, municipal departments, public sector, or nonprofit entities, are invited to apply for funding to support community-based projects that promote public awareness, understanding, and implementation of pollution prevention practices. The proposal deadline is 5 p.m. EDT on April 24, 2026.
“We are pleased to open the new proposal period for the next round of our Community Grants Program funding,” said Roy Green, NYSP2I’s director. “Organizations across the state have used this funding to carry out a wide range of pollution prevention and educational projects that others can build on. We look forward to seeing the next round of innovative proposals and encourage project collaborations that lead to meaningful environmental benefits statewide.”
According to NYSP2I, competitive projects utilize partnerships and collaborations with other organizations; demonstrate broad community impact; and are easy to replicate and use by other organizations.
Examples of project focus areas include:
- Reduction of natural resource consumption
- Reduction of hazardous chemical use
- Food waste reduction
- Pollution prevention in New York state priority areas such as greenhouse gas reductions or waste reduction through adoption of circular economy concepts
- Outreach and education
Featured success stories and case studies of past awarded projects are available for reference on the NYSP2I website.
For information on the Community Grants Program, contact Ambika Walker, NYSP2I’s community grants program manager, at apwgis@rit.edu or 585-475-2399.
About the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute
Funded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute is led by Golisano Institute for Sustainability at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and is a partnership between RIT, Binghamton University, Clarkson University, Cornell University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the NYS Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
NYSP2I’s goal is to make the state more sustainable for workers, the public, the environment, and the economy through pollution prevention. Pollution prevention is reducing or eliminating waste at the source by modifying production processes, promoting the use of non-toxic or less-toxic substances, implementing conservation techniques, and reusing materials rather than putting them into the waste stream.
