BIG Grants - OER
Source: https://www.nyc.gov/site/oer/grants/big-grants.page
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:16
BIG Grants - OER
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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
.
Expand All
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Click a topic, or press the enter key on a topic, to reveal its answer.
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
Office of Environmental Remediation
311
Search all NYC.gov websites
Menu
Text-Size
Search
BIG Grants
BIG Grants
Community Grants
Free Phase II Studies
Jumpstart
Share
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
.
Expand All
Collapse All
Click a topic, or press the enter key on a topic, to reveal its answer.
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