Rye Brook Village Scores $25K in Hochul’s $8M Efficiency Grant Bonanza

ALBANY, NY (Oct. 31, 2025) — The Village of Rye Brook landed $25,000 in New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s $8 million Local Government Efficiency Grant haul, part of 21 projects aimed at slashing municipal costs statewide.

As a reimbursement grant, Rye Brook will need to complete the planning phase to access funds. The village, home to about 9,400 residents, could use this to explore regional partnerships—potentially with nearby entities like Port Chester or the Town of Rye—for shared services in areas like public works or planning.

Hochul announced the funding, administered by the New York State Department of State through its competitive Local Government Efficiency Grant Program, targets partnerships to cut expenses via consolidations, shared services and internal efficiencies.

“We are constantly working with our local government partners to make New York State a more affordable place to live, do business and raise a family, and many of our local governments are looking to do the same,” Hochul said. “These municipalities are joining forces, looking at opportunities to lower costs and ultimately save taxpayers money.”

New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley said the program “provides an excellent return-on-investment” by encouraging municipalities to “problem solve together to bolster services and amplify savings.”

The Rye Brook award falls under the Mid-Hudson Region, alongside larger grants like $1.2 million to the Town of Carmel and $1.05 million to Lewis County in the North Country Region.

Other recipients include:• Capital Region: Town of Hunter ($1.25 million), Town of Petersburgh ($358,107), Warren County ($422,668) • Central New York: Cazenovia Central School District ($40,000), Madison County ($20,850) • Finger Lakes Region: Village of Avon ($500,000), Village of Brockport ($476,619), Livingston County Water and Sewer Authority ($642,150), Wyoming County Planning and Development ($75,000) • Mid-Hudson Region: Town of Liberty ($21,675), Livingston Manor Central School District (Rockland CSD) ($450,000), Ulster County ($40,000) • Mohawk Valley Region: Village of Fonda ($50,000) • North Country Region: Village of Copenhagen ($682,418) • Southern Tier Region: Village of Montour Falls ($32,120), Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board ($20,000), Tompkins County ($324,000)

• Western New York Region: Town of Evans ($316,323)

The program caps planning grants at $20,000 per municipality and implementation grants at $250,000, with applications scored on return on investment, project need, service delivery benefits and readiness.

Priority points went to projects involving information technology services including cybersecurity, emergency management services, shared code enforcement and planning, water and wastewater management, climate change initiatives, or implementing prior LGEG planning projects.

Assemblymember Michaelle Solages said the grants “help municipalities collaborate, modernize operations, and reduce costs for taxpayers.”
New York State Association of Counties President Phil Church called the awards “a powerful tool for empowering local governments to collaborate, innovate, and deliver essential services more effectively.”

New York State Conference of Mayors Executive Director Barbara Van Epps said the funding “helps our members advance shared service initiatives that reduce costs, streamline operations, and enhance the delivery of services to their residents.”
New York Association of Towns Executive Director Christopher A. Koetzle noted towns generate nearly $200 million annually through shared services, and the LGEG “encourages new efficiencies.”

Since inception, the Department of State has awarded 655 projects totaling over $121 million, with estimated long-term savings exceeding $684 million.

A new request for applications is expected in coming weeks. For details, contact localgov@dos.ny.gov or 518-473-3355.

This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.