Community and Regional Partner Fund

Community and Regional Partner Fund

Backs New York accelerators, incubators, and venture studios with matching capital that requires private co-funding.

Eligibility · United States · US-NY

The Community and Regional Partner Fund provides matching capital of up to $5 million per applicant to accelerators, venture studios, and incubators that support early-stage New York State entrepreneurs with growth potential. The fund is backed by $42 million in SSBCI capital (the NY Ventures hub page cites $52 million; the discrepancy is unresolved in source documents). Every dollar of SSBCI funding requires applicants to demonstrate $1 in private capital raised, creating a mandatory 1:1 match structure.

Eligible organizations must demonstrate four core capabilities: the ability to leverage New York's innovation ecosystem for early-stage company acceleration; established networks for identifying partnerships and conducting outreach; experience de-risking companies through mentorship-based programming; and proven tracking and reporting mechanisms for program outcomes. In February 2025, LaunchNY secured $5 million from this fund, and partners also include Upstate Biotech Ventures, illustrating the ecosystem partner profile the program targets.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis as funding remains available, and applicants should review the Request for Applications for detailed submission guidance. Monthly office hours are held on the second Thursday of each month via Zoom for organizations considering applying. Organizations that run early-stage programs, provide mentorship infrastructure, or operate regional innovation hubs are the intended recipients; direct investments into startups are not eligible. Contact: nyventures@esd.ny.gov.