Northern Border Regional Development

The Northern Border Regional Commission is a Federal-State governmental agency concerned with the economic well-being of the citizens, businesses, and communities within a 60-county region of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. The region ha

A Commission may make grants to States and local governments, Indian tribes, and public and nonprofit organizations for projects, approved in accordance with section 15503- (1) to develop the transportation infrastructure of its region; (2) to develop the basic public infrastructure of its region; (3) to develop the telecommunications infrastructure of its region; (4) to assist its region in obtaining job skills training, skills development and employment-related education, entrepreneurship, technology, and business development; (5) to provide assistance to severely economically distressed and underdeveloped areas of its region that lack financial resources for improving basic health care and other public services; (6) to promote resource conservation, tourism, recreation, and preservation of open space in a manner consistent with economic development goals; (7) to promote the development of renewable and alternative energy sources; (8) to grow the capacity for successful community economic development in its region; and (9) to otherwise achieve the purposes of this subtitle. And the Commission invests in the growth of the forest economy sector.

Government - General · Interstate · Intrastate · State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals) · Local (includes State-designated lndian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals · Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals) · Other public institution/organization · Federally Recognized lndian Tribal Governments · Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals) · Quasi-public nonprofit institution/organization · State

No additional information.

Eligible purposes include transportation infrastructure, basic public infrastructure, telecommunication infrastructure, business and workforce development, basic healthcare, and resource conservation, tourism and recreation. Detailed definitions are found at nbrc.gov

• Application preparation • Food and beverages* • Travel* • Meals and lodging* • Alcohol • Entertainment • Appraisals of property to be purchased or used as match • Allowance or payment of debts • Maintenance, including routine, deferred, and short-term operational needs • Any costs committed or spent before receiving a Partial and/or Full Notice to Proceed from NBRC. This includes NBRC award funds, and any funds documented as match for the project

The grant agreement stipulates the time period for completion of the project. All projects must be completed within three years from the date of the grant award.

Applicant information, detailed project narrative, budget, and workplan and any applicable waivers utilizing the Grants Management System at nbrc.gov

Each State scores the applications received within their state independently. Generally, each state creates a team of reviewers and in addition have access to a group of consultants as referrals who have specialized knowledge on scientific or technical expert opinion to provide guidance when needed. Final decisions about awards are approved jointly between the Federal Co-Chair and the Governor's Alternates (the five members that make up the Northern Border Regional Commission). The scoring system for each state is provided below. If the application is for a multi-state project, each state will score the application independently. While States will consult with one another in order to strive for consistency, a multi-state application may be awarded in one state and not in another.

All Direct Grants are reimbursement based. Applicants must sign NBRC Grant Agreement, pursuant to 2 CFR 200. Applicants must further complete NEPA, before NBRC will issue a Notice to Proceed. Awards are approved by the Commission, and all applicants must be SAM.gov banking-enabled.

Spring Round Key Dates • Pre-applications & Waivers Due: By 5:00 PM EST on February 27, 2026 • Full Applications Due: By 5:00 PM EST on April 17, 2026 • Grant Awards Announced: Estimated: June 2026 Fall Round Key Dates • Pre-applications & Waivers Due: By 5:00 PM EST on August 28, 2026 • Full Applications Due: By 5:00 PM EST on October 16, 2026 • Grant Awards Announced: Estimated: December 2026

All applications and pre-applications are first reviewed for eligibility. Upon being invited to apply, applicants are instructed to review Direct Grant program materials, which share scoring criteria. These include Approach and Methodology, Budget Documentation, Capacity and Qualifications, Project Readiness, Project Impact and Economic Impact.

All grants are awarded a performance period of three years. All grant extensions are a decision at the Commission level and require approval of member states.

A Grantee may appeal any finding of noncompliance and resulting enforcement action. The appeal shall be in writing and contain supporting evidence. It must be sent to NBRC within 30 calendar days of receipt of the notice identified above. All appeals shall be reviewed by the Federal Co-Chair. The Federal Co-Chair shall render a decision to dismiss, amend or uphold the recommendation of NBRC staff. If the Grantee disagrees with the Federal Co-Chair's decision, the same appeal may be submitted to the State Governor's Alternates and a determination to dismiss, amend, or uphold shall be issued by this body. All determinations by the Governor's Alternates shall be considered final decisions of NBRC.