August 2020
Barnabas McHenry, Chairman Greenway Council, Co-Chair National Heritage Area
Kevin M. Burke, Chairman, Greenway Conservancy for the Hudson River Valley,
Co-Chair National Heritage Area
Scott Keller, Executive Director Greenway,
Director National Heritage Area 
Monthly News, Events, & Grant
Opportunities
Important Reminders

  • 2020 Hudson River Valley Ramble Canceled. More info.

  • HRVNHA Adds Virtual Events Calendar to Website. Submit Event.


  • There is Still Time to Register for GHHN's Make it Work Workshop Series. Register now.

Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area Announces $25,790 in Grants

At its July meeting, the   Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area approved six matching grant awards totaling $25,790. The funded projects include:

  • $3,700 to FASNY Museum of Firefighting, for a Virtual Tour of the FASNY Museum of Firefighting.
  • $3,500 to National Heritage Trust, for Washington's Headquarters Self-Guided Tour.
  • $5,000 to Sleepy Hollow Cemetery Historic Fund, for Cemetery Critters & Creatures.
  • $3,600 to Underground Railroad Education Center, for A New Interpretation of an Old Story - Virtually.
  • $4,990 to Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, for Virtual Programming for Sustainability.
  • $5,000 to Teatown Lake Reservation, for Teatown’s Environmental Education Distance Learning Program.

The next round of Heritage Development Grant applications are due  September 11, 2020. Information and guidelines are available   here .
Congratulations to HRVNHA Sites on Receiving GHHN's 2020 Collection Needs Assessment Program Grants

On behalf of the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area (HRVNHA), we would like to congratulate the following organizations for receiving Greater Hudson Heritage Network's (GHHN) 2020 Collection Needs Assessment Program Grants:

  • Albany County Historical Association/Ten Broeck Mansion of Albany County
  • Boscobel House and Gardens of Putnam County
  • Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame of Orange County
  • Historic Hudson Valley of Westchester County
  • John Burroughs Association of Ulster County

The Collection Needs Assessment Program: Site Assessment and Supplies is administered by GHHN, in partnership with the New York State Council on the Arts . For 2020 grant year, 56 grant applications were received from institutions from 26 counties in New York State. In all, 23 organizational awards totaling $12,966 for Site Assessments and Supplies were recommended for funding. Of the 23 awardees, several are managing organization for HRVNHA designated sites.

Learn more about the Collection Needs Assessment Program and this rounds grant recipients.
Ulster County's Long Range Transportation Plan

In Spring 2020, the Ulster County Transportation Council (UCTC) initiated its regular 5 year update of the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The Year 2045 LRTP update process includes a reevaluation of the current status of the transportation system in Ulster County, identification of future needs and strategies, an outline of financing options, and gathering and evaluating input from the public on a variety of transportation-related subjects. Programming transportation improvements is one of the UCTC’s most important functions. UCTC will prioritize projects identified in the LRTP for placement in the five-year Transportation Improvement Program.

Area stakeholders and members of the public are encouraged to participate in the plan update to ensure that the priorities identified in the plan align with the community needs and help target investments.  Take the survey now .
Thomas Cole Announces a New Way to Visit

Pick up a packet with all of the information and materials you need to enjoy an hour-long visit to the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in Catskill, New York. Read Cole's "Essay on American Scenery" on the bench under the historic Honey Locust tree, step up onto the porch to sketch Cole's favorite view with a new custom sketchbook and pencil, learn about the gardens and historic interiors in the printed Explore Guide, find maps to other nearby adventures, and more. 

Kits come in "Basic" and "Family" and must be reserved in advance for contact-less timed pick-up every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Find out more .
Are You Signed Up for the Canalway Challenge?

Whether you are an avid cyclist or a family looking to get more active, set your sights on adventure and fun along the 524-mile NYS Canal System and 365-mile Erie Canalway Trail. Reach your one-of-a-kind, personal mileage goal – whether cycling, paddling, running, hiking or walking – and discover all you can do along New York's canals!

The Erie Canal and Canalway Trail are divided into distinct regions, each roughly 90 miles. Run, walk, bike, or kayak all four regions to become a 360 End-to-Ender!

Please steer clear of crowds, stay local, avoid touching surfaces in public places, and stay 6' apart from other trail users to help control the spread of COVID-19. If a trail segment is crowded, pick another location or return at a different time. Sign up today !
Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Notifications

Visit NYHABS , DEC’s harmful algal bloom (HAB) notification map, to view locations of freshwater HABs in New York State that were reported in the past two weeks. Click on a dot for more information, including the date it was reported, the waterbody name, and pictures. Click on the arrow at the bottom of the screen to view a list of reported HABs.

If you see a HAB, please use the reporting form to submit a report to NYHABS .  

Because waterbodies may have HABs that have not been reported to DEC, it is recommended to avoiding contact with floating mats, scums and discolored water.

If you, your family, or pet have been in contact with a HAB, please rinse with clean water and report any symptoms to your local health department.
Upcoming Events

*Please note that, while some heritage sites in the Hudson Valley have begun to reopen cautiously due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, many sites are still closed or have reduced hours. Please call the individual sites directly to inquire their current status. New York State Parks remain open. While enjoying the outdoors, please follow the  CDC/New York State Department of Health guidelines   for preventing the spread of colds, flu, and COVID-19.

Hudson River Train Tour App
The Hudson Train Tour App, available for download for Apple and Android devices , now features 10 new audio stories! The app can be used wherever you are, including from your home, so don’t worry if you’re not riding the rails currently. Discover more .

Lyndhurst's Online Exhibition: Voices in the Landscape
This online exhibition highlights the work of two neighbors: Madam C. J. Walker, an African-American entrepreneur and the first self-made female millionaire in the United States, and Helen Gould, the daughter of Railroad Baron Jay Gould and heir to one of the largest fortunes in the country. In 1918, these women lived down the street from each other on Millionaire’s Row in Irvington-on-Hudson and used their respective estates, Madam Walker’s home Villa Lewaro and Gould’s Lyndhurst, to give women the chance to be outdoors while learning an economically viable skill at a time when many women were stuck inside with daily household chores. Find out more .

Rhinebeck’s Wilderstein and Poughkeepsie’s Locust Grove Present Victorian Curiosities: Online Exhibition
Wilderstein announced a new joint online exhibition with Locust Grove in Poughkeepsie featuring a selection of Victorian household objects from both collections. The Victorians were very inventive, and had many intriguing and fantastical things! More info .

Sheldrake Environmental Center's Customized Programming
Homeschooling? Hosting backyard camp? Got ants in your pants? Sheldrake is available to create nature programming for your "pod." Whether you come to us or we go to you, our naturalists can create a STEM curriculum, preschool nature play, after-school programs, private trail walks, and ad hoc diversions. Email scheduling@sheldrakecenter.org with your wish list!

1st Rhode Island Regiment Garrison Day, Fort Montgomery State Historic Site, Fort Montgomery, NY
August 1: Discover the often-overlooked story of the contribution of African American soldiers to the American Revolutionary War effort. Find out more .

Porch Performances: History Comics Chat, Clermont State Historic Site, Germantown, NY
August 2: Join artist and school programs coordinator, Emily, in a presentation about her work and History Comics Club, Clermont’s popular comic-making program. More info .

Headwater Streams: Identification and Protection of an Essential Resource (WEBINAR)
August 3-6: The Hudson River Estuary Program and Hudsonia Ltd. are pleased to offer a webinar series and virtual field trip aimed at identifying and protecting small streams. Learn more .

 Nature Explorers at Hommocks, Sheldrake Environmental Center, Mamaroneck, NY
August 3, 6, 10, 13: Join Sheldrake naturalists to have fun exploring nature as part of the Town of Mamaroneck Recreation Department's summer programming for children. More details .

River Friendship: Margaret Suckley & FDR's Remarkable Story (WEBINAR)
August 5: Online lecture by local historians Linda Bouchey and Al Vinck chronicles Margaret Suckley's extraordinary relationship with her distant cousin Franklin Roosevelt. Read more .

Making the Most of Your Legacy Webinar Series (WEBINAR)
August 5: Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) are playing a larger role in philanthropic giving with each passing year. This webinar will demonstrate how DAFs can advance your charitable giving to make more of a difference. Find out more .

Pond Exploration Hours, Wilton Wildlife Preserve, Gansevoort, NY
August 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21: Catch and identify aquatic animals with environmental educators! Learn more .

Learn to Row, Saratoga Rowing Association, Saratoga Springs, NY
August 10: Saratoga Rowing Association is proud to offer our 2020 Youth Learn to Row Programs.  More details .

Stop, Stand Back, and Speak (WEBINAR)
August 11: This webinar will provide participants with useful information on ways to minimize trail conflict and how to work comfortably alongside packstock during stewardship projects. Find out more .

Building the Case for Green Infrastructure: The Value of Nature (WEBINAR)
August 12: In this webinar, the host will present a case for green infrastructure focused on the financial and health benefits of natural areas. More info .

Powering UP: Electric Grids for Renewable Energy (WEBINAR)
August 13 : Mike DeSocio from The New York Independent System Operator, Inc. will be the presenter. Participation in this webinar will provide planning and zoning board of appeals members 1 hour of training time. Register now .

Perspectives on Resiliency Planning (WEBINAR)
August 14: This webinar will explore a range of different perspectives on implementing resiliency planning in the overall transportation planning process. Read more .

Mothing Party!, Brandwein Nature Learning Preserve, Port Jervis, NY
August 16: Learn simple techniques for attracting and observing moths. Bring a flashlight! More info .

Planning for Utility Scale Solar Energy Facilities (WEBINAR)
August 21: Learn how to classify these facilities, analyze their land-use impacts, and make recommendations for how to evaluate and mitigate those impacts. Learn more .

Printing from Nature, Hudson Crossing Park, Schuylerville, NY
August 22: Create one-of-a-kind prints and a greeting card using leaves, grasses, and flowers from gathered from park grounds, as you learn the fun and freedom of monotype printmaking - a technique that does not require a press. Find out more .

Roving Naturalist: Cattails are Cool, Five Rivers Environmental Center, Delmar, NY
August 22: Take a break in front of the Visitor Center as you look closely at cattails. These tall wetland plants, that some say look like a cat’s tail or a hot dog on a stick, are important for wildlife. More details .

Movie Under the Stars, Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site, Yonkers, NY
August 28: Stop by the Manor for the conclusion of the annual Movie under the Stars movie series featuring The Lion King (2019)! Read more .

Scenic Views from the White Cliffs: Millbrook Mountain Hike, Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Kerhonkson, NY
August 29: Join Sarah LaLumiere, for this five-mile hike along the Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, Millbrook Mountain Carriage Road and Millbrook Mountain Footpath.  Learn more .
Heritage Spotlight: Hill-Hold Museum

Sitting on land given to Sarah Wells, a pioneer settler of Orange County, and her husband, stonemason William Bull, Hill-Hold was constructed by their son, Thomas, in 1769. In addition to the house’s impressive exterior stonework, the sturdy structure features handsome interior woodwork, including barrel-backed cupboards and paneling. It also contains two kitchens: the original located in the basement, the second added to the rear of the house in 1800. The furnishings, primarily Bull family pieces crafted in the Hudson Valley, reflect changing styles from the 17th century to the 1830s and range from Queen Anne and Chippendale to Empire. The house is surrounded by many original outbuildings, including a barn, granary, and summer kitchen. Livestock is still raised here and the summer garden continues to grow produce typical of a Colonial farm. Due to COVID-19, museum hours and events may change. Please contact the museum before your visit by email or phone: 845-615-3830. Learn more .
Project Spotlight: Mill Brook Preserve Trail Access Enhancements

The Village of New Paltz received a Greenway Conservancy Trail grant to survey and design trail access enhancements at the Mill Brook Preserve, which lies in the Village and Town of New Paltz in Ulster County. The preserve is named after the Mill Brook stream system that flows through this unique and ecologically important natural resource. The tributaries and their surrounding lands make up one of the last remaining undeveloped areas in the Village of New Paltz. This natural area preserves open space, biodiversity and wildlife habitats, to allow the existing natural systems to provide flood protection, erosion control, drainage and other natural functions. Due to a fragile ecosystem the preserve needed enhancements such as a trail alignment and bridges for visitors to cross the streams. This project helped determine the feasibility and obtain permitting for this project. The preserve has four access points and 5-miles of trails for visitors to enjoy. To learn more about the Mill Brook Preserve visit the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust's website .
Turn Off the Faucet

Letting your faucet run for five minutes uses about as much energy as a 60-watt lightbulb consumes in 14 hours. So if you're not using it, turn it off! Learn more .
Grant and Funding Opportunities

Heritage Development Grants
This annual grant program offers funding for programming, interpretation, and marketing projects that support the mutual goals of the HRVNHA and applicants. Grants will typically range from $1,000 to $5,000. Grant program guidelines and applications are available on the  Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area's websiteOne notable departure for this round is that staff time is eligible to be reimbursed, but only if that staff time is for the direct development of programming or interpretation, as identified in the grant application. We will be accepting applications with a  September 11, 2020  submittal deadline, particularly focused on creating virtual tours and programming. Please note, that there is a new budget form with the application packet. Applicants should not use an older version of the budget form.

National Heritage Area Sponsorships Available
The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area (HRVNHA) will partner with various organizations to sponsor programs and events that reinforce the Heritage Area’s mission. While complementing the mission of the Heritage Area, cultural, heritage and recreational events deliver significant tourism and economic benefits to communities, and encourage local and regional partnerships. Sponsorship's will have an additional focus on events promoting the 19th Amendment and/or Women's in History in the Hudson Valley for the year 2020. Municipalities and nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations located within the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area are eligible to apply. For more information, please contact Dan Jeanson at daniel.jeanson@hudsongreenway.ny.gov or 518-473-3835.

 Greater Hudson Heritage Network's Awards for Excellence Program - Call for Nominations
GHHN's Awards For Excellence program seeks to recognize and commend exceptional efforts among GHHN members. Awards are made to projects that exemplify creativity and professional vision resulting in a contribution to the preservation and interpretation of the historic scene, material culture and diversity of the region. Deadline: August 3, 2020 Learn more or submit a nomination .

Hudson Estuary Trees for Tribs
Do you own or manage land along a stream? You can now apply for free native plants to help reduce erosion and improve habitat along your stream. Hudson Estuary Trees for Tribs offers free native trees and shrubs for planting along the tributary streams in the Hudson River Estuary watershed. If your application is accepted, our staff will provide trees and help you with a planting plan. Deadline: August 7, 2020 . Learn more .

NEP Coastal Watersheds Grant Program
The NEP Coastal Watersheds Grant Program is a nationally competitive grants program designed to support projects that address urgent and challenging issues threatening the well-being of coastal and estuarine areas within determined estuaries of national significance. Letter of intent due by August 7, 2020 . More info .

NEH's Short Documentaries Program
The Short Documentaries program supports the production and distribution of documentary films up to 30 minutes that engage audiences with humanities ideas in appealing ways. The program aims to extend the humanities to new audiences through the medium of short documentary films. Films must be grounded in humanities scholarship in disciplines such as history, art history, literature, religious studies, philosophy, or anthropology. Deadline: August 12, 2020 . Read more .

Nominate a Great RTP Project 
The Coalition for Recreational Trails (CRT) sponsors the Tom Petri Annual Achievement Awards as part of the ongoing effort to build awareness and appreciation of the highly successful Recreational Trails Program. Outstanding projects, State trail programs, and State RTP advisory committees funded by this program are honored at the awards ceremony. Deadline: August 15, 2020 . Find out more .

NYSCA/GHHN Conservation Treatment Grant Program
The NYSCA/GHHN Conservation Treatment Grant Program is a partnership of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and GHHN that provides support for treatment procedures to aid in stabilizing and preserving objects held in collections of museums, historical, and cultural organizations in New York State. Support is available for conservation treatment of paintings, works on paper (including individual drawings, watercolors, prints, or photographs), textiles (including costumes, domestic textiles, and upholstery), furniture, frames, sculpture, historical, ethnographic, and decorative objects. Deadline: September 1, 2020 . Learn more .

New York State Historic Marker Grant Program (Regions 4-6)
The William G. Pomeroy Foundation strongly believes that historic markers play an important role in local historic preservation by serving a dual purpose. They educate the public and foster historic tourism, which in turn can provide much needed economic benefits to the towns and villages where the markers are placed. New York State Historic Marker Grant Program commemorates historic people, places, things or events within the time frame of 1740-1920. Regions 4-6 must submit a letter of intent by September 11, 2020 . The letter of intent due date for Regions 1-3 has already passed. More details .

NEH's Dialogues on the Experience of War Program
The National Endowment for the Humanities offers the Dialogues on the Experience of War (Dialogues) program as part of its current initiative, Standing Together: The Humanities and the Experience of War. The program supports the study and discussion of important humanities sources about war, in the belief that these sources can help U.S. military veterans and others think more deeply about the issues raised by war and military service. Dialogues is primarily designed to reach military veterans; however, men and women in active service, military families, and interested members of the public may also participate. Deadline: October 14, 2020 . More info .

Community Arts Grants (Columbia, Greene, and Scoharie County Only)
The Community Arts Grants Program funds artists and organizations who are seeking to creatively engage their communities through projects in the arts in Columbia, Greene, and Schoharie Counties. Grants of up to $5,000 are awarded annually in three project areas: Community Projects, Artist Commissions, and Arts Education projects. Deadline: October 28, 2020 . Read more .

Archival Workers Emergency Fund
The Society of American Archivists Foundation announces the creation of the Archival Workers Emergency Fund (AWEF) to support archival workers experiencing financial hardship during the COVID-19 crisis. Grants of up to $1,000 will be awarded to financially vulnerable and at-risk workers. All U.S.-based archival workers affected by the COVID-19 crisis are eligible to apply to the fund. Due to the unpredictability of the crisis and times of acute need, applications to the fund will be considered on a rolling basis up to December 31, 2020 . Find out more .

ECNHC's Event and Festival Sponsorship Program
Cultural, heritage, and recreational events within the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor deliver $1.3 billion in economic benefits to communities. In partnership with NYS Canal Corporation, we are offering competitive sponsorships up to $500 for events or festivals taking place from May through November. Municipalities or nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations are eligible. Next round of applications: January 2021 . More info .

Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions
Preservation Assistance Grants help small and mid-sized institutions—such as libraries, museums, historical societies, archival repositories, cultural organizations, town and county records offices, and colleges and universities—improve their ability to preserve and care for their significant humanities collections. These may include special collections of books and journals, archives and manuscripts, prints and photographs, moving images, sound recordings, architectural and cartographic records, decorative and fine art objects, textiles, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, furniture, historical objects, and digital materials. Deadline: January 14, 2021 . Read more .

 Chronogram Media Community Grant Program for Minority and Women-Owned Businesses
This grant program aims to support marketing programs for a variety of Hudson Valley minority and women-owned small businesses, virtual events, and regional nonprofits. Applicants are evaluated based on financial need, commitment to social change, and alignment with Chronogram Media’s values. Accepted partners will receive a number of benefits and increased exposure through Chronogram Media's various platforms. Grants will be awarded on a rolling basis. More info .

Extreme Terrain’s Clean Trail Grant Program
This program will provide eligible groups the opportunity to apply for a grant to fund their next trail improvement related project, which could range from trail clean-up, trail restoration, trail expansion, to name a few. Learn more .

New York State Assembly Grants Action News 
State, federal, and private grant information from the New York State Assembly. More info .
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