Broome and Tioga Get $35,000 for Tobacco-Free Projects

Local organizations in both counties can apply for grant funding for smoke-free housing, retail, and outdoor-space efforts.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Substance Abuse

Bold vector editorial illustration of a weathered wooden park bench with a small pile of coins on its seat, beside a gravel path and bare autumn trees. — Tobacco Free Broome and Tioga is reopening funding for local groups, with $35,000 available through the state's Advancing Tobacco Free Communities grant, and applications due November 11, 2026. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should your county spend more public money on reducing tobacco use?

The Tobacco Free Broome and Tioga Program has reopened funding for grassroots organizations through the Advancing Tobacco Free Communities grant, administered by the New York State Department of Health's Bureau of Tobacco Control. The program will award a total of $35,000 to community-led projects, with applications due November 11, 2026.

Why it matters

The funding targets communities disproportionately affected by commercial tobacco marketing, widespread tobacco and vapor product availability, and high rates of tobacco-related disease. For New Yorkers in these areas, it opens a path for local organizations to address the environments where tobacco use takes hold.

The grant is a state-administered funding opportunity rather than a study, so no trial or cohort results are reported. The stated rationale rests on documented disparities in tobacco marketing exposure and tobacco-related disease in the target communities.

The players

New York State Department of Health Bureau of Tobacco Control

The state office that administers the Advancing Tobacco Free Communities grant and oversees tobacco control programming across New York.

The details

Community-led organizations apply for the Advancing Tobacco Free Communities grant, and selected projects must focus on one or more priority areas: smoke-free multi-unit housing, tobacco product waste and its environmental impact, retail environments, and tobacco-free outdoor spaces. The model is local: rather than top-down mandates, the funding lets grassroots groups design interventions that fit their own neighborhoods. Projects are implemented between December 17, 2026 and April 30, 2027.

October 30, 2026: Program announced the reopening of the funding opportunity.
November 11, 2026: Application submission deadline.
December 17, 2026: Project implementation period begins.
April 30, 2027: Project implementation period ends.

Health Landscape

Community-based tobacco control programs like this one target the environments where exposure happens, complementing clinical cessation care. The approach reflects a population-level strategy of changing access and marketing conditions rather than focusing only on individual smokers.

If you live or work in Broome or Tioga County, the funding may bring new tobacco-free outdoor spaces, smoke-free housing efforts, or retail changes to your community. Anyone with questions about their own tobacco or vapor use is best served by a conversation with a physician or a state cessation service.

The takeaway

Community-based efforts can reshape the everyday environments where tobacco and vaping take hold, from housing to outdoor spaces. Local residents who want to get involved can watch for future grant rounds and talk with their physician about any personal tobacco-use concerns.

What happens next

Applications close November 11, 2026, and funded projects run from December 17, 2026 through April 30, 2027, with the possibility of additional funding beyond that initial period.