New Economy News | May 2025 | | Celebrate Success. Plan for the Future. | | | |
Join Us for Our Annual Meeting!
You're invited to join ANCA staff, board, friends and partners to celebrate the past year’s accomplishments and get the first look at ANCA’s next strategic plan.
Hear stories and updates from ANCA’s leadership and board, and our small business, food systems, clean energy, and Adirondack Diversity Initiative programs. Learn about — and provide feedback on — our strategic priorities for the next three years over an interactive local food breakfast.
After the meeting, grab lunch in North Creek and explore the surrounding area, its trails, waterfalls, river adventures, and more!
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What: ANCA Annual Meeting
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When: Friday, July 25, 2025
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Where: Tannery Pond Center, North Creek, New York
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Cost: $10 for ANCA Members, $40 for non-members*
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Not a member? Join today!
| | *ANCA is committed to advancing equity and inclusion in the region and making our programs accessible for all. Please note alternative fee payment options during the registration process. | |
Nominate Community Leaders
At our 2025 Annual Meeting, ANCA will once again recognize individuals, groups, organizations, communities, and efforts that align with our mission to build a New Economy that Works for All — like Emmett Smith of Northern Power & Light (pictured).
Please take a few moments to submit a nomination (or several!) by June 16 to be considered for public recognition at the meeting.
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Facing Challenges, Creating Opportunities
Thank you to all who joined us in Lake Placid for ANCA's inaugural joint Clean Energy + Small Communities. Big Opportunities. Conference! We hope the knowledge, insight and connections gained from the gathering will inspire collaborations and initiatives that address our region's most pressing challenges.
In this month's What's Up North blog, ANCA's Nicole Draina reflects on experiences and takeaways from the conference.
| | Want to provide feedback about your experience at the Conference? Take a few minutes to take our post-event survey. Your responses will help us plan for future events. Thank you! | | Adirondack Diversity Initiative | | | |
Black Birders Celebration
Join ADI and John Brown Lives! for a special day of birding at John Brown Farm as we gather to honor and welcome Black birders.
The event will feature guided bird walks, guest speakers, family activities, light breakfast and lunch. Participants will also receive tours of the historic site and the Timbuctoo exhibit, highlighting African American roots in the Adirondacks.
Registration is encouraged, but not required. No birding experience necessary.
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Honoring the Murry Family
Over 65 people gathered in Vermontville on a rainy Saturday to commemorate the renaming of Murry Hill and to support an ongoing effort to replace problematic, racist place names with alternatives that celebrate the Black families who settled and farmed here.
After years of research, collaboration and community engagement, the grassroots effort to rename a hill and brook in Vermontville has been successful. Led by Paul Smith's College Professor Curt Stager, and supported by Town of Franklin officials, the Adirondack Diversity Initiative and countless community members, the new names — John Thomas Brook and Murry Hill — are official. This project represents a movement among local communities to be more welcoming of our region's diverse mix of citizens — past, present and future.
| | ADI Director Tiffany Rea-Fisher addresses attendees including descendants of Thomas and Murry Families, for whom local landmarks have been renamed. | | | |
Creating Welcoming Spaces
ADI's Welcoming & Belonging Micro-credential program offers local businesses, chambers of commerce, and community groups essential knowledge and best practices for creating welcoming spaces for all staff and clientele. This online, asynchronous course provides a range of content and activities aimed at cultivating a sense of belonging in the workplace.
Learn more about course objectives, goals, modules, schedule and more on the ANCA website. Enrollment is rolling, so sign up anytime!
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NYS Funds Food Waste Reduction
ANCA’s Compost for Good (CfG) team joins compost enthusiasts from across NYS with a huge THANK YOU to our legislators who included $5M in next year’s budget to support food waste reduction and composting projects. To learn about community composting efforts near you, contact CfG at compostforgood@adirondack.org.
Photo: CfG shared information and resources with elected officials in Albany at Adirondack Day earlier this month.
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Free Food Waste Audits for Institutions
Clarkson University and Compost for Good are seeking food waste generators such as restaurants, institutions, and processors interested in a free assessment to help reduce the amount of wasted food generated by the institution. Our Community Compost Liaisons are eager to help you save money, improve working conditions, and increase local supplies of soil health amendments (compost). Contact Jen Perry at compostforgood@adirondack.org to learn more.
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Champlain, Clayton Kick Off Collections
Three North Country communities — the Town of Champlain, Village of Champlain and Town of Clayton — will be added to the growing list of municipalities hosting residential food scrap collection. With 21% of our waste stream consisting of wasted food and an unquenchable demand for locally available compost, every scrap of food diverted from the landfill is a win!
Champlain will launch the program with a grand opening ceremony on Wed., May 28. Learn more.
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Farmers Market Moves Outdoors
This weekend marks the second week of the High Peaks Farmers Market outdoor season. Stop by Riverside Park in Saranac Lake on Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for local produce, meats, eggs, cheese, crafts, live music and more!
And many thanks to the Local Enhancement and Advancement Fund (LEAF) Committee for awarding the Market with a grant that will expand its impact on local farms, businesses and community members.
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Bike the Barns Supports Local Food Initiatives
Starting in scenic Westport, NY, ANCA's 8th Bike the Barns invites riders to experience agricultural landscapes and livelihoods of the Adirondack North Country. Event proceeds help fund ANCA's work supporting local farms and food businesses.
ANCA is partnering again with BikeADK to make this a memorable farm-by-bike experience. More info coming soon about our host venue, farm stops, food vendors, entertainment, and more!
| | Leveraging Networks and Funds | | Photo of drilling project by Twolined Studio | |
Northern Lights School Drills Down
In Saranac Lake, Northern Lights School's energy-efficient geothermal heating and cooling system is a critical project that will benefit local families and the broader community for years to come. Drilling for the system was completed in April, with more energy improvements coming this summer.
ANCA is honored to have supported Northern Lights leaders by connecting them with grant opportunities, expertise about clean energy technologies, and local contractors. Big thanks to the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) for investing in this impactful project!
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Improving the Bottom Line Through Employee-Ownership
Business transitions come in all shapes and sizes and happen in all kinds of communities.
In Massachusetts, RLMG's transition to a worker-owned cooperative demonstrates how employee-ownership can foster a strong sense of community, confidence and creativity that benefits the company, its staff and clients. A true win-win-win for the small business community!
Watch RLMG's video story, shared by our partners at Cooperative Development Institute.
| | This video is presented by the Northeast Transition Initiative (NETI), a partnership of nonprofit transition advisors and community development lenders who share the goal of supporting small business owners in planning their exit strategy and raising awareness of employee ownership. ANCA, home of the Center for Businesses in Transition (CBIT), is a proud partner of NETI. | |
Expanding Energy Incentives
The North Country Clean Energy Hub recently awarded Building Contractor grants to two local businesses — North Country Insulation, opening an office in Plattsburgh soon, and G.R.O. Energy Solutions in Watertown.
The grants help contractors participate in NYSERDA's Empower+ program which offers energy efficiency incentives to low-to-moderate income households. Certain areas of the North Country, notably Clinton County, northern Franklin and northern St. Lawrence counties, are not able to access Empower+ due to the lack of participating contractors in the region.
| | | To learn more about Empower+ or to speak with a local Energy Advisor, visit the Hub's website. | | | |
Welcome to the Board!
We are thrilled to welcome Peter Waldt of Saranac Lake to the ANCA Board of Directors. Peter brings over 40 years of experience in real estate, finance and economic development to the organization — expertise that will help ANCA advance initiatives that support North Country businesses, farms and communities. We are excited to work with Peter in the years ahead!
| | ICYMI: News from Around the Region | | |
Visit our jobs page for openings with member and partner organizations and regional nonprofits:
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Clean Energy Program Manager: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Jefferson Co.
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Project Manager: AdkAction
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Community Engagement and Outreach Manager: Champlain Area Trails (CATS)
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Executive Director: The Depot Theatre
Have an opening you want to promote? Send a web link to jobs@adirondack.org.
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Build a Resilient Regional Economy
ANCA members and donors are growing the region's New Economy by building strong, resilient and equitable systems for local food, clean energy and small businesses. We deeply appreciate your support of this important work.
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