New York State Office of Cyber Security
Geographic Information Systems Clearinghouse
Sources of GIS Funding
Let us know about funding programs not listed
New York State | Federal | Private Organizations | Grants-Related Search Engines
Grant support can provide local governments with much needed funding for GIS implementation or expansion. The NYS GIS Coordination Program's Finance Work Group has put together a listing of grant sources that may be of use to State and local governments wishing to obtain funding to initiate, expand or modify their GIS. Most state and federal agencies that offer grant funding opportunities do so within the context of specific programmatic goals that relate to the mission of the agency. This includes areas such as environmental protection, transportation, records management, housing, disaster mitigation, etc. While GIS may play a part in achieving an agency's goals, it is usually not the primary focus of the agency's programs.
To be successful, grant applicants must frame their request within the context of the agency's programmatic goals. Programmatically focused support can give local governments the seed money they need to begin GIS development, or provide resources to expand existing systems. However, governments developing their GIS system through a variety of programmatically focused sources need to have a comprehensive GIS implementation plan. Through the use of a comprehensive plan can they be assured that the result will be the establishment of a system that meets multiple needs of the government.
New York State
- NYS Archives
Provides support for projects that improve the creation of records and the design and implementation of records systems. Funding has been provided for GIS needs assessments and impetration plans, as well as some limited initial GIS implementation. Projects must follow the process described in the New York State Archive's Grants and Awards.
-
Department of State Coastal Resources Division
Provides support for preparation or implementation of Local Waterfront Revitalization Programs, or components of local programs; preparation or implementation of inter-municipal waterbody management plans to meet Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act eligibility requirements; waterfront redevelopment; innovative use of dredged material; processing dredged material; and public coastal outreach programs. GIS development and implementation is eligible for funding if related to the agency's programmatic focus.
-
Department of Transportation
GIS-based data development and applications are eligible activiities in many DOT funding programs. However, specific grant funding availability will vary from program-to-program.
-
Governor's Traffic Safety Committee
Provides start up or seed money for new programs directed at identifying and correcting highway safety problems. Funding for data capture, software and hardware (such as GPS equipment) is available. Mapping signs, bridges, and road conditions are typical projects.
- Department of Environmental Conservation, Water Quality Monitoring/Improvement Programs
(Funded under the Environmental Quality Bond Act) Provides support to municipalities and soil and water conservation districts for water quality improvement projects. Project areas may include municipal wastewater treatment improvement, non-point source abatement and control (agricultural and nonagricultural), aquatic habitat restoration, and pollution prevention.
- Department of Commerce's Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) Promotes the widespread availability and use of advanced telecommunications technologies in the public and non-profit sectors. As part of the Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), TOP gives grants for model projects demonstrating innovative uses of network technology. TOP evaluates and actively shares the lessons learned from these projects to ensure the benefits are broadly distributed across the country, especially in rural and underserved communities.
- National Institute of Justice Very competitive grant program to assist units of local government to identify, select, develop, modernize, and purchase new technologies for use by law enforcement.
- The National Science Foundation: Grants & Awards The National Science Foundation funds research and education in science and engineering. It does this through grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000 colleges, universities, and other research and/or education institutions in all parts of the United States. The Foundation accounts for about 20 percent of federal support to academic institutions for basic research.
- Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) The FGDC sponsors the National Spatial Data Infrastructure Cooperative Agreements Program (NSDI CAP) on an annual basis. The program assists the geospatial data community through funding and other resources in implementing the components of the NSDI. This program is open to State, local and Tribal governments, academia, commercial, and non-profit organizations. It provides small seed grants to initiate sustainable on-going NSDI implementations. The program emphasizes partnerships, collaboration and the leveraging of geospatial resources in achieving its goals for building the NSDI.
- USGS Contracts & Grants Information Povides information about all of the agency's contracts and grants programs, many of which are directly related to GIS.
- USGS Innovative Partnerships Offers cooperative agreements under which the agency provides support (financial or non-financial) for assistance in obtaining digital elevation, vector line, orthoimage, and similar data, in USGS or compatible formats, for the public domain from non-Federal producers.
- USGS Cooperative Research & Development Agreements Provides opportunities for private sector entities to partner with the USGS on technology transfer projects related to the cartographic, geographic, and information sciences.
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) NOAA provides funding under several grant programs for projects related to understanding and predicting changes in the coastal ocean environment and the global environment. While programs are primarily research-based, state agencies and local governments are eligible to apply, and are encourged to parterner with academic researchers.
- Environmental Protection Agency EPA's Office of Grants and Debarment provides support for open space preservation, parks creation, brownfields clean up, water quality improvement, environmental protection, pollution prevention and public education/outreach programs. The Agency also offers funding opportunities related to specific geographic regions, as well as environmental management, financing, and technology.
- Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD provides support for projects related to housing and community development, economic empowerment, and targeted housing and homeless assistance. Information about all of HUD's grant support is provided via one annual Super Notice of Funding Availability (SuperNOFA). HUD also makes available for purchase Community 2020, a desktop GIS that includes an array of U.S. Bureau of the Census geographic and demographic data and HUD program data. In addition, the software can integrate data from a range of data sources provided by the user.
Private Organizations and Companies
- Conservation Technology Support Program The Conservation Technology Support Program (CTSP) awards grants of equipment and software to build GIS capacity to tax-exempt, non-profit organizations pursuing conservation objectives in the United States. GIS grants are made annually to approximately 50 organizations that can demonstrate: a strong commitment to conservation objectives; compelling reasons to use GIS in achieving those objectives; and the organizational capacity (budget and people) to use GIS effectively over a long period of time. Applications are usually due in January.
- Intergraph Education Grant Program The Intergraph Education Grant program recognizes the innovative use of GIS in the classroom. Our program offers a site license for GeoMedia Professional and a license for GeoMedia WebMap Professional to support geospatial teaching at the college level. (Added Sept. 6 2005)
- Intergraph Open Interoperability Grant Program Intergraph’s Open Interoperability Grant Program is designed to stimulate the use of open interoperability standards through the support of organizations desiring to build Web services using OGC standards as well as organizations wishing to publish their data in XML/GML (file) format. (Added July 23, 2003)
- UCLID Grant Program for GIS Education UCLID Educational Grant Program is for qualified colleges, universities and technical institutes. UCLID's parcel mapping and data entry software products are used to build and maintain a GIS. The grant is intended to assist universities and colleges to better prepare GIS students for their career in GIS. (Added Jan. 6, 2004)
Grants-Related Search Engines
In addition to government agencies, many private philanthropic organizations and foundations have an interest in information technology and improving the functioning of government. The search engines below provide a starting point for locating government agencies and private organizations that are interested in these areas but which may not have specific funding programs related to GIS.
- Commerce Business Daily
A searchable online database that indexes virtually all Federal grant and contracting opportunties.
- The White House Office of Public Liason: Non-Profit Gateway A network of links to Federal government information and services, including a grants page that provides direct links to the grants programs of Federal agencies.
-
Community Toolbox: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)
Generates a customized listing of NOFAs from among all of the announcements in the Federal Register inviting applications for Federal grant programs.
- GRANTSWEB - SUNY Stony Brook GrantsWeb is a starting point for accessing grants-related information and resources on the Internet. GrantsWeb organizes links to grants-related Internet sites and resources, including funding opportunities, grants databases, policy developments, and professional activities.
- Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance The National Association of Counties (NACo) and ESRI, the world leader in geographic information system (GIS) technology and a NACo Premier Business Partner, have launched the Technology Foundation Grant Series to provide GIS software, training, support, and data to qualified NACo members seeking to initiate and expand their technology infrastructure. To bridge the technology gap and supplement county governments' efforts in that area, the series offers grants valued at more than $2.5 million for GIS in two packages - an introductory level program for counties without an existing GIS and an intermediate level program aimed at counties wishing to augment their GIS and staff proficiency.