REDC Consolidated Funding Application

REDC CFA Round 15

Invests research teams and institutions for REDC CFA in manufacturing, energy systems, and artificial intelligence.

The New York State Regional Economic Development Council Consolidated Funding Application (REDC CFA) is the state's flagship annual competitive grant mechanism, pooling resources from more than 15 state agencies — including ESD, NYSERDA, the Environmental Facilities Corporation, DEC, and OPRHP — into a single application process covering all ten of New York's economic development regions. Round XIV, the most recent reported cycle, awarded $463 million statewide across nearly 400 projects; the programme channels more than $750 million in state economic development resources each annual round. Round 15 (2026) is expected to open following the established annual pattern. Empire State Development serves as the convening body, while individual grants disburse through the originating agency for each sub-programme.

Eligible applicants include businesses, municipalities, not-for-profit organisations, and other public entities, provided the project is physically located in New York State. All funded projects must create or retain jobs, reduce unemployment, or increase business activity in the state — pure operating grants are outside scope. The CFA is reviewed both by ESD and by the Regional Economic Development Council corresponding to the project's location; regional councils publish annual strategic plans that identify priority sectors and investments, and CFA applications that directly address a region's stated priorities score more competitively. The ten REDC regions are Capital Region, Central New York, Finger Lakes, Long Island, Mid-Hudson, Mohawk Valley, New York City, North Country, Southern Tier, and Western New York.

The 2026 cycle also includes the ACHIEVE Competition, a $150 million supplemental award that selected four regions in Round XIV (Long Island, Mohawk Valley, New York City, and Southern Tier) for transformational investment. Applicants preparing a CFA submission should review their regional REDC strategic plan, align the project narrative to stated regional priorities, and identify which specific state agency sub-programmes are most relevant to the project's capital investment category. Timing generally follows a spring application opening with awards announced in the fourth quarter of the calendar year.