Eight

• The eighth round of the Regional Economic Development Council competition for $750+ million in state economic development resources was announced on April 26; on May 1, the Consolidated Funding Application opened to applicants— businesses, municipalities, not-for-profits and the public—allowing one-stop access to resources available for job creation and community development projects across multiple state programs.

Five

• Nearly $81 million in statewide funding was awarded to 71 municipalities in Round 5 of the Restore New York Communities initiative, announced on March 26. The funding represents a partnership with municipalities in projects that can transform vacant buildings and outdated structures into housing, retail and more. In the Finger Lakes, funded projects included a number of new housing and commercial sites and renovation of the Park Theater in Avon.
• The fifth year of the 43North competition was announced on April 12. The $5 million startup competition has attracted entrepreneurial companies from around the country and around the world to Buffalo, where a total of 37 winners to-date have incubated innovation and added to the regional economy. The winning companies have so far raised $80+ million.

Three

• The third round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative was announced on April 24, continuing the investment of $10 million to 10 communities around the state, for strategic smart growth projects and plans that are revitalizing NYS city centers as dynamic places to live, work and grow. Applications for this round are due June 1.
• Genius NY’s third round was announced earlier this month, with applications due Oct. 1 for the world’s largest unmanned systems business competition. More than $5 million will be awarded to six finalists, adding to the entrepreneurial growth of Central New York’s UAS industry. 

Two

• Winners of the Game DEV Challenge’s second round were announced on April 12, with applicants including students from New York State colleges and individuals and independent, in-state developers. The challenge highlights New York State as a hub for game development and digital media. The winners, judged on their pitches, prototypes, plans and timelines, will work with the state’s digital game hubs at RIT, NYU or RPI.

One

• The first round of applications for the New York Fund for Innovation in Research and Scientific Talent (NY FIRST) was announced on April 10. The $15 million program is aimed at modernizing, renovating and upgrading laboratory facilities at NYS medical schools in order to to attract and retain world-class scientific talent and to provide them with the state-of-the-art lab facilities where they can do groundbreaking work.