Climate Piloting Program

Informational Webinars: December 16, 2025, and January 7, 2026, at 3PM Click here to register
In-Person Piloting Opportunities Tour: December 17, 2025, at 10AM Click here to register

• Receive access to a project site for 3 to 18 months with no fee, as well as technical support from the Trust as the sole owner and operator of eligible sites.
• Collect data in a real-world environment while also engaging with funders, investors, and prospective customers.
• Bring your climate solution to a high visibility public place with 1 million annual visitors.

Scroll down and click "Apply For Permit" You will need to crate a Submittable account in order to submit an application. You will be prompted to select one of the following opportunities when you apply:

• Apply to the 2026 Climate Solutions Challenge: Adaptation by January 21 - Win a $10,000 prize and access to supplemental grants generally not to exceed $20,000 to support project design and deployment. Selected teams can access opportunities with the Trust’s network of climate partners, including the New York Climate Exchange, public agencies, and content area experts such as Streetlife Ventures.
• Submit a General Application on your own schedule - A year-round rolling application is open to all climate sectors. Project teams are responsible for all costs.

Questions? Scroll to the bottom of this page for program FAQs.

• Applicants must be incorporated as a legal entity and must be working on urban climate solutions (e.g., hardware, software, materials research, policy, or innovative business and financing models).
• Project teams should identify a critical milestone that requires a temporary pilot site to support product development and deployment.
• Startups and young companies, including those led by underrepresented founders, are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to companies with 50 employees or fewer.

Problem:

In New York City and other dense urban areas, increasing chronic flooding, extreme heat, and water shortages have exposed millions of urban residents to hazardous conditions and costly disruptions at their homes, workplaces, and communities. Effective and accessible adaptation solutions are needed to create healthy environments and thriving cities, especially in frontline communities. Support for climate adaptation is increasing, and for good reason: $1 of adaptation and resiliency investment saves $13 in economic costs, damages, and cleanup while also helping people and communities to stay safe and live well in a changing climate.

Challenge:

As flooding, extreme heat, and water shortages increase due to climate change, how can urban adaptation solutions equip communities to stay safe and healthy, minimize disruptions to essential services, and improve everyday life for residents?

Solutions we seek:

• Innovative approaches to improve urban buildings, infrastructure, and natural areas for thermal comfort, flood adaptation, and healthy environments.
• Resiliency solutions for small businesses and nonprofits to minimize disruptions to critical operations from extreme weather, support worker safety, and facilitate a holistic response and recovery.
• Climate risk management solutions, including tools for affordable, accessible community-scale measurement and sensing.

Applications will be scored by a selection committee made up of Trust for Governors Island representatives based on the degree to which proposals meet the selection criteria. Technical experts may be consulted in an advisory role. An interview and site visit may be offered to a subset of applicants at the Trust’s discretion to explore feasibility and alignment, identify potential project sites, and inform a project workplan. Please see below for selection criteria.

Quality of Proposal (40%)

• Clear and compelling
• Sound methodology
• Readiness for place-based deployment

Economic and Social Impact (30%)

• Climate equity and innovation
• Business or organizational impact
• Economic impact potential
• Social impact potential

Project Feasibility and Program Alignment (30%)

• Makes good use of the physical environment
• Makes good use of promotional/public education opportunities

Interviews and site visits will be offered at the Trust’s discretion to explore feasibility and alignment, identify potential project sites, and inform a project workplan. The site visit will provide an opportunity to discuss additional information requests including but not limited to concurrent uses of the site, utility availability, and anticipated permits and approvals. Winners will be required to sign an agreement with the Trust. Click here to view the license agreement template.

• January - February: A subset of applicants may be invited to further evaluate fit and feasibility, including interviews, visits to potential deployment sites, and development of project workplans and budgets.
• March: Challenge winners will be notified, and the Trust will update the license template here to reflect the particulars of the specific pilot. Evidence of insurance coverages should be prepared according to Exhibit C in the license template.
• April: Approved piloting partners and the Trust will sign the license agreement, finalize project plans, and begin projects.
• June: Challenge winners will be invited to pitch at the program’s annual summer showcase.
• September: Piloting partners will be invited to participate in the Trust’s Climate Week event.

• Challenge winners will receive a $10,000 prize for their unrestricted use.
• Supplemental grants will be allocated across the entire cohort of Challenge winners based on (1) funding availability and (2) demonstrated need for eligible costs of the selected project.
• Eligible costs may include professional services for pilot design, transport and installation costs, non-capital equipment purchased solely for use in the pilot, and other tasks generally shown here in Exhibit B of the license template.
• All prizes, grants, or other payments by the Trust will be issued according to the terms and schedule of the final executed license agreement.
• All program funding is non-dilutive.