Contacts:

Elizabeth Hornstein, Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) Specialist, Suffolk County, E: eeh78@cornell.edu

Sarah Schaefer-Brown, SRC Specialist, Nassau County, E: scs292@cornell.edu 

Sara Powell, SRC Specialist, Westchester County, E: slp285@cornell.edu 
 
Stony Brook, NY, December 12, 2022 — The intent of the LIS Resilience Grant Writing Assistance Program — funded via U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Long Island Sound Study (LISS), New York Sea Grant (NYSG) and Connecticut Sea Grant (CTSG) — is to reduce staffing and capacity barriers that municipalities and community organizations may face when applying for competitive funding opportunities, help communities develop successful sustainable and resilience focused project grant applications, and for municipalities and community organizations to develop capacity for navigating the funding landscape.

Sustainable and resilience focused projects will be awarded in a range of $5,000- $9,950 per application (with no match required) that will impact a community(ies) within or partially within the Long Island Sound coastal boundary — within Westchester, Nassau, Suffolk counties, Western Connecticut, and Eastern Connecticut.

Applications should be submitted through the Application Submission Form via the Google form, or by submitting the form via email to LISresilience@gmail.com or by mail (mailing address on Application).

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until all available funding is allocated, which may be no later than September 30th, 2023.  

Additionally, in early-mid December virtual informational webinars were held related to the program, one for NY applicants and one for CT applicants. For those who missed the webinars, here's a recording of the one for NY applicants: 




More Info: Follow-up From 1st Annual SRC Workshop

The LIS Resilience Grant Writing Assistance Program was also highlighted at the “1st Annual Long Island Sound (LIS) Sustainable & Resilient Communities Workshop”, which was held virtually on December 1st.

The event brought together local government, Indigenous, tribal, and community leaders, nonprofits, and other stakeholders from New York and Connecticut to learn more about opportunities to increase the resilience of coastal Long Island Sound communities to various environmental challenges. 

Sessions included: tips for success with Long Island Sound funding opportunities, information on a new grant-writing assistance program, and breakouts for focused discussion on shoreline planning, using green infrastructure for stormwater management, strategic climate planning/relocation, and new tools for NY and CT communities.

Check out the playlist for recordings from throughout the workshop ...



Videos included in the playlist above ...

• Main Session — This video includes the SRC Team presentation as well as a Funding session that featured two guest speakers. NOTE: Funding Session begins at the 58 minute mark.

• Shoreline Planning Session

• Green Infrastructure for Stormwater Management Session

• Strategic Planning for Climate Relocation Session

• CT Tools Session

• NY Tools Session


More Info: Sea Grant's LIS Specialists

In New York, three New York Sea Grant Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) extension professionals are working to strengthen the network of sustainable and resilient communities along the Long Island Sound in Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties. Additionally, two outreach coordinators work in the Sound’s basin on Long Island, in New York City and into Westchester County.

These five specialists in New York, plus two SRC extension professionals in Connecticut (via Connecticut Sea Grant), support Long Island Sound Study efforts throughout the Sound's basin. The team represents a commitment to prepare for and mitigate the effects of environmental and economic challenges posed by the effects of climate change and to expand community engagement along the Long Island Sound.

For more, see "New Sea Grant Specialists in NY and CT Help Expand LI Sound Study's Basin-wide Sound Efforts". 

More Info: Long Island Sound Study

Long Island Sound is one of the 28 nationally designated estuaries under the National Estuary Program (NEP), which was established by Congress in 1987 to improve the quality of Long Island Sound and other places where rivers meet the sea. 

The Long Island Sound Study is a cooperative effort involving researchers, regulators, user groups and other concerned organizations and individuals, and is led by the Environmental Protection Agency and the states of New York and Connecticut. 

In recent years, LISS has experienced a period of rapid expansion attributed to the increased federal funding for the program, and to implement actions, objectives, and goals established under a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. The increase is grounded in the CCMP’s four overarching themes: Clean Waters and Healthy Watersheds, Thriving Habitats and Abundant Wildlife, Sustainable and Resilient Communities, and Sound Science and Inclusive Management.  Resilience to climate change, long-term sustainability, and environmental justice, are principles that connect to all four of the themes.

For more on what you can do to make a difference, click over to the "Get Involved" or "Stewardship" sections of the LISS's website. News on the LISS can also be found in NYSG's related archives.