BIG Grants - OER

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BIG Grants

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BIG Grants

Community Grants

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BIG Grants

The NYC Brownfield Incentive Grant (BIG) Program seeks to spur the cleanup and redevelopment of vacant and underutilized property in New York City. The program offers grants to property owners and developers from the earliest stages of information gathering and due diligence through environmental assessment and cleanup.

For more information about the BIG Program, please contact the BIG Program Administrator through the BIG call-back service at 212-380-1562 or by email at grants@nycbig.info.

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Eligibility

The BIG Program offers three categories of grants:

for projects eligible for the NYC Voluntary Cleanup Program, known as Qualifying Brownfield Projects

for affordable housing and other community-supported projects, known as Preferred Community Development Projects

bonus grants which increase grant awards to Voluntary Cleanup Program projects

Grant Amounts

Qualifying Brownfield Projects - Maximum grant: $25,000

Grant
Description
Amount

Pre-Development Grant
Pays for a wide range of due diligence and design tasks that generally precede an environmental investigation of a property.
$5,000

Environmental Investigation Grant
Pays for an environmental investigation at any property in NYC.
$10,000

Cleanup Grant
Pays for any approved remedial work undertaken at a site in the Voluntary Cleanup Program.
$25,000

Preferred Community Development Projects - Maximum grant: $35,000 or $50,000

Grant
Description
Amount

Non-Profit Technical Assistance Grant
Pays for a wide range of pre-development activities by a non-profit developer of an affordable housing or other Preferred Community Development Project.
$5,000

Pre-Development Grant
Pays for due diligence and design tasks of a Preferred Community Development Project that generally precede an environmental investigation of a property.
$10,000

Environmental Investigation Grant
Pays for environmental investigation tasks at a property that will be the site of a Preferred Community Development Project.
$25,000

Cleanup Grant
Pays for remedial work performed under an OER-approved remedy. The grant is $35,000 unless a non-profit developer builds a Preferred Community Development Project or the residential portion of the development is 100% affordable housing. In both cases, the grant is $50,000.
$35,000 or $50,000

Bonus Grants

Grant
Description
Amount

Track 1 Cleanup Grant
Awarded to projects in the NYC VCP where soil across an entire site attains New York State's unrestricted use soil standards.
$10,000

Resilience Grant
Awarded to projects in the NYC VCP that complete cleanups in a designated coastal flood zone.
$10,000

Community-Directed Strategic Site Grant
A development site in the NYC VCP that a Community Brownfield Planning organization recognizes as strategic to the community's revitalization is eligible for this grant.
$10,000

For more information about the eligibility requirements for NYC BIG grants, see §43-1418(d) of the BIG program rule.

Insurance

Owners and developers who seek NYC Brownfield Incentive Grants must ensure their development projects maintain required insurance for the activities for which they seek reimbursement. After identifying the type of BIG grant, refer to the Insurance Fact Sheet and Insurance Memo to determine what type of insurance coverage is required.

Qualify as a Vendor

The BIG Program requires that most fundable services and activities be performed by a qualified professional who is registered as a Qualified Vendor with the BIG Program Administrator. The BIG Program encourages qualified professionals in a wide range of vocations, including environmental consultants, attorneys, registered architects, certified planners, grant writers, licensed insurance brokers, and not-for-profit service providers, to apply to the Qualified Vendor list.

The application process to become a Qualified Vendor is managed solely by the BIG Program Administrator and is non-competitive. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. To apply, complete a Qualified Vendor Application and email it to grants@nycbig.info.

Apply

Complete an NYC Brownfield Incentive Grant application and email it with required attachments to the BIG Program Administrator at grants@nycbig.info. Alternatively, see the application form for how to submit an application by mail.

Application Deadline: BIG enrollment grant applications must be submitted no later than 6 months after OER issues the project’s Notice of Completion.

Additional Documents:

NYC BIG Program Technical Specifications

Full Section F: Eligible Activities and Services

Project Questionnaire

Application Certification

BIG Grant Tips