This Week in Grants: Green Acres, Stormwater Management, & Veterans Affairs
Early Grant Opening Announcement: Green Acres 2026
NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) is pleased to announce the 2026 funding round for the Green Acres program, including land acquisition, park development, and stewardship projects. NJDEP anticipates that applications will be accepted starting in late September 2025, with a deadline in early February 2026.
New developments are planned for the 2026 funding round, including:
🌳Minimum 25% matching grants for all park development projects, no matter where they are located, up to the funding round cap; and
🌳An increase in the maximum number of eligible application submissions by each applicant.
Green Acres remains committed to community engagement, and the 2026 funding round application will again require applicants to gather meaningful public input during the project planning phase. Applicants must initiate public engagement activities at the earliest stages of application preparation and complete them at least 30 days before the application public hearing. Engaging the public early will ensure sufficient time to incorporate feedback into project planning and design.
NJDEP encourages applicants to start now to solicit public input and think about how community needs and priorities can be considered when creating new park plans or deciding where to preserve land. Applicants can take advantage of warm weather and summer schedules to conduct surveys, hold open houses, or create pop-up feedback opportunities at parks or community events.
More information is available here. The Aubrey Group will provide more updates as the application cycle progresses.
NJDEP Stormwater Management Grants
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection- Leaf Composting Grant Program
The purpose of this grant funding is to promote stormwater management compliance at wood waste recycling and leaf composting facilities. This funding will be provided to assist public entities that are authorized to operate their facility(s) under NJDEP’s NJPDES Wood Waste Recycling and Leaf Composting Stormwater General Permit (WRC). This applies to public facilities where recycled tree branches, tree limbs, tree trunks, brush, and other wood waste that has not been chemically treated, glued, dyed, or painted are received, stored, processed, and transferred. Processing shall be limited to chipping, grinding, screening, and size reduction. The WRC permit further authorizes discharges from composting activities in which grass clippings, leaves, and wood chips (not chemically treated, glued, dyed, or painted) are received, stored, processed, and transferred.
Deadline: 8/1/2025
Eligible Applicants: Public Entities
Award Amount: $1.35 million in grant funds shared evenly among all qualified applicants
More information is available here.
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Green Streets & Stormwater Infrastructure Mapping Grant Program
Funding for green street projects can be utilized for any planning activities related to a project that includes the utilization of green infrastructure along a county road that is located within an overburdened community as listed on the Environmental Justice Mapping, Assessment and Protection (EJMAP) Tool. Reimbursement may be sought for a previous project that met these criteria.
Deadline: 8/1/2025
Eligible Applicants: Public Entities
Award Amount: $175,000-$350,000
More information is available here.
Veterans Affairs
Bob Woodruff Foundation Grants
The Foundation provides funding for programs that serve the military and veteran community. They focus on programs that improve the health and well-being of service members, veterans, their families, and caregivers, and that: improve social determinants of health; decrease barriers to physical and mental healthcare; increase access to programming that fosters a healthy lifestyle; enhance opportunities for veterans to thrive after service
Deadline: Rolling
Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit organizations
Award Amount: $10,000-$100,00
More information is available here.
The Spirit Charitable Foundation
The foundation invests in organizations that have a meaningful social impact on the lives of Children and Families, Service Members, and the Environment, through Team Member volunteerism, monetary, and in-kind donations. They often fund general support for organizations. An example of a funded project for service members is building a designated veteran’s student lounge that provides a central place to relax, study, and socialize with other veterans and resources.
Deadline: Rolling
Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit organizations
Award Amount: $10,000
More information is available here.
American Legion Auxiliary Foundation - Veterans Project Fund Grant
The American Legion Auxiliary Foundation (ALA Foundation) VPF was implemented to help support projects that meet the needs of veterans, military, and military families. VPF grants are awarded to American Legion Auxiliary tax-exempt entities for projects that meet a one-time, new need benefiting multiple veterans, military, and their families. Grants may be awarded up to $10,000 for a project period not to exceed twelve (12) months. ALA entities submitting grant proposals must demonstrate that they will be funding part of the project by providing a minimum of 20% of the total project’s funding cost.
Deadline: Quarterly, next deadline on 9/20/2025
Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit organizations
Award Amount: $1,000-$10,000
More information is available here.