Military Base Retention Grant
Purpose of Funding
The Military Base Retention Grant is intended to support and
improve military facilities in New York State in order to
strengthen their capacity as major contributors to economic and
employment opportunities and prevent them from being deemed
unnecessary by the Base Realignment and Closure (“BRAC”)
Commission.
The economic benefits created by New York State's military
installations continue to be threatened by federal budgetary
constraints, modernization initiatives, and future rounds of the
BRAC program. In previous BRAC rounds, base closings have
imperiled vital missions and devastated communities throughout
New York. This grant seeks to promote, enhance and protect New
York's military bases.
Recipients may use the Grant to:
- communicate the importance of local bases and their missions to elected and government officials;
- improve existing military facilities in order to enhance their competitiveness in future BRAC rounds;
- promote additional missions for military units based in New York; and
- conduct any other efforts to sustain and expand the presence of military bases in New York, with the exception that Grant funds may not be used to pay, retain, or hire registered lobbyists or lobbying firms.
Funding
The maximum award available to an individual recipient is
$300,000.
Successful applicants will receive Grant funds once their
applications have been approved by the ESD Board of Directors.
In the case of proposals involving capital grants for
construction or renovation, awards must also be approved through
a process that requires a public hearing (to be held and paid
for by the Grantee), as well as approval of the Grant by the
State Public Authorities Control Board, and may require review
under the State Environmental Quality Review Act. This process
will add considerable time to the disbursement of Grant funds.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants are not-for-profit organizations or
municipalities with a demonstrated history of support for
military bases and units in New York. All applicants must adhere
to IRS guidelines in the use of grant funds. All applicants must
disclose the names and affiliations of their executive staff and
board members, none on whom may be registered lobbyists.
Award Criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on their expected impact
and by the applicant’s experience as an advocate for military
personnel and facilities in New York State. Preference will be
given to those applications that:
- commit to supporting the Governor’s efforts to prevent
base closures in NYS and to coordinate all activities with
those designated by the Governor to conduct this effort in
support of the military in New York;
- have a track record of experience working with the State
of New York in support of a military installation in their
region/community;
- have been endorsed by the applicant’s Regional Economic
Development Council and can demonstrate how the proposed use
of funds is consistent with that Regional Economic
Development Council’s Strategic Plan;
- can match State dollars with private or local funds; and
- propose to coordinate with other organizations working to prevent base closures in New York.
Application Instructions
All applications must include:
- The legal name and address of the applicant
organization,
- The name, phone number, email, and mailing address of a
contact person with the applicant organization,
- A 750-word executive summary that details the
applicant’s plan and goals for the Grant award,
- A budget that details how the Grant will be spent, and also shows other sources of funds, as applicable.
Applications should be submitted to ESD either via email to
BRACgrant@esd.ny.gov or by mail sent to:
Empire State Development
Att’n, Andrew O’Shaughnessy
633 3rd Avenue, 37th Floor
New York, New York 10016-8109
Applications must be emailed or postmarked by August
23nd, 2012.
Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses
It is New York State and ESD policy to comply with all
Federal, State and local laws, policies, orders, rules and
regulations prohibiting unlawful discrimination because of race,
creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age,
disability or marital status, and to take affirmative action in
working with grantees to ensure that Minority and Women-Owned
Business Enterprises (MWBEs), Minority Group Members and women
share in the economic opportunities generated by ESD and its
subsidiaries, and participate in projects or initiatives, and/or
the use of their funds. ESD’s non-discrimination and affirmative
action policies will apply to this initiative. As such, the
selected grantees shall be required to use best efforts to
achieve a MWBE participation goal of 20% of the grant funds. To
that end, a copy of each respondent’s equal employment
opportunity policy statement, staffing plan (of the anticipated
workforce to be utilized), and schedule of minority and women
business participation shall be included as part of the response
to any RFP. The ESD Affirmative Action Unit (AAU) is available
to assist respondents in identifying New York State certified
MWBEs that can provide goods and services in connection with the
grant. If you require MWBE listings, please call the AAU at
(212) 803-3225.
Questions and Comments
Please direct all questions or comments to Andrew
O’Shaughnessy at
BRACgrant@esd.ny.gov or
212-803-3747.
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