This week in Grants
NJEDA's RETROFIT Grant Program
On October 9, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority announced its new Reducing Emissions through Retrofits, Optimization, and Innovative Technologies (RETROFIT NJ) grant program. This pilot program will provide financial assistance to large-scale, multi-pronged retrofit projects that facilitate holistic energy improvements. As part of this project, the NJEDA will provide grant awards ranging from $2.5 million to $12.5 million, reimbursing applicants for eligible hard and soft costs such as:
Project Design
Equipment
Project Construction
Commissioning
Eligible projects will significantly reduce carbon emissions, stimulate economic growth in the state's clean energy industry, accelerate New Jersey's transition to clean energy, and serve as replicable models for future projects. Eligible applicants must own commercial, industrial, or institutional buildings. For this program, "institutional buildings" are defined as buildings that serve a public purpose, such as a library, municipal utility, or a public recreation or cultural facility.
Applications for the RETROFIT NJ program are expected to open in early 2026. More information can be found here.
NJDOT's Transit Village Initiative
The "Transit Village" program encourages municipalities to redevelop or revitalize areas around public infrastructure, as well as existing transit stations. These redevelopments use design standards of transit-oriented development (TOD), which create attractive, vibrant, and pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods where residents can live and work without relying on automobiles.
Municipalities that have been designated as a Transit Village by the NJDOT are eligible to apply to its yearly "Transit Village Program." This program awards municipalities to carry out non-traditional transportation-related projects that reduce auto-dependency and revitalize areas around transit facilities.
If your municipality is interested in joining the Transit Village Initiative, reach out to The Aubrey Group for help in applying! You can find more information here.
HUD's ROSS-SC Program
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced funding for its Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency Coordinator (ROSS-SC) grant program. This program addresses the educational, professional, and health-related barriers that public housing residents face. With this program, eligible applicants can hire a Service Coordinator who will assess the needs of public housing residents and link them to supportive services. These services may include healthcare coordination, benefits counseling, transportation assistance, financial literacy programs, peer support groups, and support for independent living.
Funding Amount: Up to $816,750
Application Deadline: December 12, 2025
Match: 25%
You can find more information here.