Press Releases
08/21/2024
DEEP Announces New Open Space and Urban Green Grant Round
Accepting Applications Now Through December 2; Recent Statute Changes Increase Equity within the Two Programs
(HARTFORD) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) encourages municipalities, land trusts, and water companies to apply for funding to aid in the purchase and protection of open space through the Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program (OSWA). In addition, DEEP welcomes municipalities and land trusts to apply for funding through the Urban Green and Community Garden Program (UGCG). Both programs are accepting applications now through December 2, 2024.
DEEP has been actively working towards the equitable distribution of these two important grant programs, as the agency recognizes that while the number of acres conserved is important, what is equally important is where those acres are and who they are accessible to. Prior to the 2021 grant round, DEEP and its partners adjusted the scoring criteria for OSWA to factor in the ability to access sites via public transportation and the population density within the project vicinity. These changes have helped make the program scoring more equitable, ensuring some of Connecticut’s most in-need communities receive funding for much-needed open space protection. In the last round of awards, four of the top scoring projects will bring additional open space to target economically distressed communities.
Recent changes to statute will add 48 additional underserved communities to the list of areas eligible for UGCG, increased funding through OSWA, and additional aid for incidental costs associated with the OSWA application process.
“Open spaces are a key driver of the quality of life in our state, and critical to ensuring all Connecticut residents have access to clean water, healthy air, and affordable recreational opportunities,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said. “OSWA and UGCG are crucial to ensuring communities have access to funding to pursue these key open space projects. We are excited to initiate a new round of grants and with the updates to the program from recent statute changes, we hope to see even more projects funded in economically distressed communities.”
OSWA Background
OSWA grants can fund 65%-75% of permanent open space protection projects. High ranking projects focus on environmental justice and equity, protect important natural resources, enhance state climate change goals, and provide public access for outdoor recreation. Since the OSWA program began in 1998, more than $161 million in state funding has been awarded to municipalities, nonprofit land conservation organizations, and water companies to assist in the purchase of more than 43,000 acres of publicly accessible land.
UGCG Background
UGCG grants can fund 50% of projects focused on creating, enhancing, or restoring urban green spaces. Funding can be used for green infrastructure, native plantings, community gardens or walking paths, etc. Since 2007, $2.5 million in state funding has been provided to eligible municipalities to reinvigorate urban open spaces.
In the most recent OSWA and UGCG grant round announced last month, the State of Connecticut awarded $14.51 million in funding to aid in the purchase and protection of more than 2,626 acres of open space through 17 projects in 18 communities across the state. This marked the largest round of open space protection awards – both by acreage protected and by dollars awarded – in over a decade. In addition, $343,015 in funding was awarded to support the creation of two new urban community green spaces in the towns of Stratford and Thomaston.
For more information about these grant programs and to view grant application and instruction forms visit the OSWA and UGCG webpages.
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Contact
DEEP Communications
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110