Urban Heat Island Mitigation Program
New Jersey's Urban Heat Island Mitigation Program (UHI) was established by the Board of Public Utilities (the Board) on July 16, 2025. The UHI Program allows Overburdened Municipalities (OBMs) and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to receive funding to mitigate extreme heat by implementing cooling tactics within a community.
Status
Applications are closed
Schedule
January 11, 2026 - Application window closed
October 14, 2025 - Application window opened
Program Contacts
Relevant Audiences
On this page
About the Program
New Jersey's Urban Heat Island Mitigation Program (UHI) was established by the Board of Public Utilities (the Board) on July 16, 2025. The UHI Program allows Overburdened Municipalities (OBMs) and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to receive funding to mitigate extreme heat by implementing cooling tactics within a community.
In 2024, New Jersey recorded its second-hottest June–July period on record, with eight of the warmest Julys occurring since 2010, based on records dating back to 1895. New Jersey is also the fastest-warming state in the Northeast, driven in part by its dense urban development, which contributes to the UHI effect. Extreme heat exacerbated by UHIs is the leading cause of weather-related death in the U.S., worsens health conditions, compromises air and water quality, and drives up energy bills.
UHIs occur when built-up urban areas experience significantly higher temperatures than surrounding areas due to heat-absorbing surfaces like asphalt and concrete. Overburdened communities (OBCs) experiencing the UHI effect face disproportionate exposure to extreme heat events. Decades of systemic inequities, including historic redlining and ongoing disinvestment, have left OBCs with minimal natural cooling infrastructure and a high concentration of impervious surfaces. These conditions increase their exposure to extreme heat and drive-up energy costs. Multiple OBCs are often located in OBMs. Several major NJ cities, which also qualify as OBMs, have less than 30% tree canopy coverage… In these OBMs, residents may experience an UHI index of 8 °F or higher. Furthermore, these OBMs experience considerable surface UHI intensities, with built-up urban areas having land surface temperatures 10°C (50°F) warmer than nearby forested areas.
Program Categories and Scope
Comprehensive Public Space UHI Interventions: Two grants of up to $1M each will be awarded to major community revitalization projects that focus on the improvement of public spaces and parks development via a “whole neighborhood approach,” in which, relevant community stakeholders, including but not limited to residents, local organizations, etc., who would be directly impacted by these renovations, have a say in the process. It is critical that the municipal applicant consults community members in the planning process and ensures the implementation is aligned with what the community wants.
Cooling the Built Environment: Four grants of up to $500,000 each will be awarded to projects focusing on public cooling center fortification and implementing measures for public buildings that promote cooling and energy efficiency to form resilience hubs.
Urban Microclimate Interventions: Twenty grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded for small-scale, localized community projects that mitigate the UHI effect based on interventions identified by CBOs.
Eligibility Requirements
- The municipality has over 50% of its population living in an Overburdened Community (OBC) Census Block as defined by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to New Jersey’s Environmental Justice Law, N.J.S.A. 13:1D-157; and
- The municipality meets one or both of the following criteria (either A or B):
- Over 35% of the population is living under 200% of the poverty level according to U.S. Census 2021 ACS data; or
- The municipality has a distress score of 40 or higher according to the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (“DCA”) Municipal Revitalization Index (MRI)
Application Guidance
- To brainstorm projects within each project category and identify ideal areas for UHI interventions within overburdened municipalities, please refer to this resource.
- The application guidance packet for the UHI program is available.
This packet details applicant eligibility, guidance on how to create a SAGE account, terms and conditions, and a template for a letter of support for CBOs. - The SAGE guidance packet for UHI is also available.
This packet includes the step by step process for how to complete the UHI SAGE application, and all fields the applicant will be required to complete.
What are some examples of viable projects?
Please refer to the original board order. Examples of Comprehensive Public Space UHI Interventions begin on page 10, Cooling the Built Environment examples are on pages 12-13, and Urban Microclimate Interventions examples are on page 14.
Where do I find out if my municipality is an OBM?
Click the link below to learn more.