DATA NOTES: State and Local Pork Spending


1) Legislative Resolution Grants (NYS Assembly and NYS Senate): The state Legislature directs several types of funding using legislative resolutions, adopted in the year listed, that enumerate the specific recipients. Often updated in later years to modify or eliminate recipients, changes are indicated on SeeThroughNY by negative amounts. These resolution-directed grants include, but are not limited to:

- Byrne Anti-Crime Grants: these grants dispense funds from the Edward Byrne Memorial Grant special revenue account for “drug, violence, and crime control and prevention programs.” [R3053]

- Capital Assistance Program Grants: these grants, authorized by the state Assembly, disburse Capital Assistance Program funding which was established in 2008 (Part QQ of Chapter 57 of the laws of 2008). The authorizing resolutions are often updated in subsequent years. Negative amounts reflect amendments to previous resolutions and can involve changes in the amount, the recipient, or the stated purpose. [EO1603] 

- Crime Prevention Grants: these are “grants for law enforcement, anti-crime, anti-drug, crime control, treatment and prevention programs.” [R3053]

- Domestic Violence Grants: these grants are for programs “that prevent domestic violence or aid victims of domestic violence” [R3053]

- Dwyer Veteran Program Grants: these funds are used by county governments and SUNY to operate Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran “Peer to Peer” outreach programs. [R3051]

- Economic Assistance Grants: these grants, authorized by the state Senate, disburse Economic Development Assistance Program funding which was established in 2008 (Part QQ of Chapter 57 of the laws of 2008). The authorizing resolutions are often updated in subsequent years. Negative amounts reflect amendments to previous resolutions and can involve changes in the amount, the recipient, or the stated purpose. [R3055]

- Education & School Bullet Aid: Recipients are “certain school districts, public libraries, and not-for-profit institutions” and can include religious schools and museums. Each house of the Legislature passes its own resolution. The year is that in which the bullet aid resolution was passed, typically in June prior to the school year in which the money is received. [E826, R3050]

- Environmental Grants: these grants are used for invasive species, dredging, waterfront revitalization and other environmental stewardship purposes. [R3048]

- Legal Services Grants: these funds are used “for civil or criminal domestic violence legal services” [R3053]

- Lyme & Tick-borne Disease Grants: these are Center for Community Health Program funds appropriated in the 2015 Aid to Localities budget bill to implement recommendations of the state Senate’s taskforce on Lyme and tick-borne diseases. [R3054]

- Military Base Retention Grants: these funds are used for “military base retention efforts” [R3052]

- Police/Fire/Rescue Equipment Grants: the grants are directed to “law enforcement and emergency services agencies for equipment and technology enhancements [R3053]Rape Crisis Services Grants: these funds are used “for rape crisis centers for services to rape victims and programs to prevent rape, in underserved areas” [R3053]

- Women’s Health Services Grants: these are Center for Community Health Program funds appropriated in the 2015 Aid to Localities budget bill for items “related to women’s health services.” [R3054]

2) Legislative Member Items (NYS Assembly, NYS Senate and NYC Council):

- The Legislature votes to appropriate a lump sum but does not vote on the list of who receives it.

- The year listed is the fiscal year in which the lump sum was appropriated.

- Some projects have multiple legislative sponsors.Funding allocations for state member items are subject to reimbursement by the state Comptroller's office after certification by the state Attorney General.

3) State & Municipal Facilities Program Grants:

- New York State has not disclosed how these funds are apportioned or how projects are selected.

- Funds are disbursed by the Dormitory Authority.

- More background on the State & Municipal Facilities Program is available here.

- The amount listed is the amount sought, not necessarily disbursed.

- The year listed is either the one in which the Dormitory Authority signed the grant, or the one in which it received notification of the grant.