Application Instructions

This page will prepare you for the process of applying for a NYMS Grant. We hope you’ll take the time to review the New York Main Street website. There is information here that will benefit the potential applicant prior to beginning the application process.

For those who may not have visited the entire site, we suggest you at least visit our Program Guidelines page prior to beginning the process of applying. There you will find the program’s purpose, you will be able to determine if you are an eligible applicant, learn what areas are eligible for grant money and what types of activities the grant can support.

New York Main Street is part of the Unified Funding Process. What does this mean?

The Unified Funding Process is an approach that permits applicants to DHCR programs to simultaneously apply for several State Housing and Community Development Programs using common application materials. The application materials for NYMS have accordingly been merged with materials covering other UF programs. These materials can be accessed through the website www.dhcr.state.ny.us.

Applications for New York Main Street funding may be submitted on-line through the Community Development Web Applications System (CDWAS). Please note that should you decide to apply for a NYMS grant, you’ll be leaving this website to do so.

If you would like additional information to improve your application, please make yourself familiar with the NYMS website and program guidelines. To facilitate the application process follow the Main Street roadmap that follows. Print out this guide. This will save time by not requiring you to go back and forth between the DHCR and New York Main Street websites.

Step One
Click on www.dhcr.state.ny.us. This will take you to DHCR’s home page. On the right side you will see 2007 Unified Funding Materials. Click on this phrase to go to the next step.

Step Two
You are now on the 2007 Unified Funding Materials page. This page has links to information on a variety of the programs available to you through Unified Funding as well as helpful sources of information. To continue with the NYMS application process scroll down to Notice of Funding Availability-State and Federal Funds. All applicants to any program in Unified Funding should read this prior to applying. The NOFA contains information such as the amount of funding available for each program and the application deadlines. When done, click your Back button to return to the 2007 Unified Funding Materials page.

Step Three
You should now click on Request For Proposals. This is perhaps the single most important UF document. Click on ‘RFP’ again (Request for Proposals or PDF Version); this will be the document that will provide detailed information on submitting applications. It will explain the individual programs (please note the Program matrix in Section B, Unified Funding Processing Steps, part 3) and the evaluation and selection process for each. This is vital information for you to be aware of as you build your application. It is also important as you go through this document to pay special attention to those sections where NYMS is cited (specifically where information on application materials and deadlines are mentioned). When finished, click your Back button until you return to the 2007 Unified Funding Materials page.

Step Four
You can read any of the other links that interest you or those that you believe may be of help (like the NYMS FAQ or the Reference Materials) but when you’re ready to begin the application process click on the New York Main Street (NYMS) Program Application Instructions [PDF only] link and print these out if you feel you’d benefit from a ‘hard copy’. We suggest that you read fully and refer often to the Application Instructions. You should pay special attention to the section on Certifying and Submitting Application Exhibits (pg. 2). As noted, the uploading of attachments is a new feature on CDWAS for New York Main Street applicants in 2007. Return to the 2007 Unified Funding Materials page by clicking your Back button.

Step Five
Now that you’ve read the instructions you can proceed to the Community Development Web Applications System (CDWAS) by clicking on this link. This takes you to the introductory page of CDWAS (the system you’ll be using to fill out and submit an application for a grant). If you are already a registered user you may click on Login to CDWAS and begin your application process immediately. If you are not registered, follow the directions for How to Become a Registered User of the CDWAS. In the event the person who is completing the online applications is not authorized to sign the Applicant Certification, you must be sure to have the person who is going to be electronically signing the applications registered as a CDWAS User for your organization. Security Managers can do this in the CDWAS by forwarding a Security Manager Registration Form to DHCR's Management Systems and Research unit at the address provided. Await an email notifying you of your registration containing your USER ID and password.

Step Six
Upon receipt, or recollection, of your USER ID and password return to the Introductory page of the CDWAS. Click Login to CDWAS, type in ID and password, submit, click on NYMS Application and fill out according to the directions. NOTE: There is no ‘auto save’ feature on the CDWAS so it is advisable to click ‘save’ at the bottom of each page when it is complete or, if it is not complete and you need to interrupt the application process for any length of time.