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Kevin M. Burke, Chair, Greenway Conservancy for the Hudson River Valley,
Co-Chair, Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area
Margaretta “Meg” Downey, Chair, Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council, Co-Chair, Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area
Scott Keller, Executive Director, Hudson River Valley Greenway,
Director, Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area
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Monthly News, Events, & Grant
Opportunities
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Important Reminders
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HRVG's Board Meeting is on March 6, 2024, at the Henry A. Wallace Center in Hyde Park and by Zoom. Email hrvg@hudsongreenway.ny.gov to RSVP.
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Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area Highlights Freedom and Dignity in Celebration of Black History Month
The Hudson Valley played a crucial role in African Americans’ pursuit of freedom. The Underground Railroad is a noteworthy example of this struggle for freedom and dignity. The Underground Railroad consisted of a network of secret routes and safe houses during the early to mid-19th century which existed throughout northern states and our very own Hudson Valley. It was utilized by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and from there to Canada.
While traveling the Underground Railroad, escaped slaves traveled to places like McGregory Brook in Peekskill. In Troy, Harriet Tubman belonged to the local African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, while the African-American abolitionist Henry Highland Garnet led the Liberty Street Presbyterian Church. In Albany, the home of Stephen and Harriet Myers and their four children in the mid-1850s was also the office and meeting place of the Vigilance Committee and was the place to which over 50 Freedom Seekers were directed to request assistance.
These stories about the pursuit of freedom are interpreted by heritage sites across the region, such as the Underground Railroad Education Center, Historic Huguenot Street, and the New York State Museum.
Celebrate Black History Month with some of these local events:
Black History & Culture: Black Presence. Profound Influence., Bethany Arts Community, Ossining, NY
February 2 to March 8: Join the Opening Reception for the 4th installment of this award-winning exhibit or simply visit the exhibit that expands the historic storytelling out of the Ossining borders into the surrounding communities that have impacted the world. Read more.
Journey to Freedom – Honoring Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement, Underground Railroad Education Center, Albany, NY
February 3: Join others in honoring the work of 15 local civil rights activists and preview their oral history interviews. Learn more.
"Go Back and Get It," Historic Huguenot Steet, New Paltz, NY
February 3-24: A Two-Part Historic House Tour Examining Black Impacts and Experiences on Huguenot Street. More info.
The Moral Arc Toward Freedom, NYS Museum, Albany, NY
February 15: Join the opening of a new exhibition that features two important historic documents: the preliminary draft of the Emancipation Proclamation and select pages from MLK's September 1962 speech in NYC. More info.
Spaces of Enslavement: A History of Slavery and Resistance in Dutch New York (WEBINAR)
February 27: Scholar Andrea Mosterman walks participants through her new book on how to relay “how spatial analysis can be used to better understand how enslavers used space to control the people they enslaved, and how enslaved people resisted in these spaces.” Read more.
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HRVG Releases the Albany-Hudson Electric Trail 2023 Trail Use Report
The Hudson River Valley Greenway (HRVG) released the Albany-Hudson Electric Trail 2023 Trail Use Report. The report includes visitation numbers to eight different trail sections on the Albany-Hudson Electric Trail (AHET) from 2022 to 2023 using automated counters to count users and a visual trail use survey to analyze user types.
Combining data collected over two years, HRVG's trail counters have registered a total of 288,076 visits (the count sites below are listed "north to south" along the AHET Trail:
- Town of East Greenbush (West): 45,288 visits
- Town of East Greenbush (Southeast): 54,555 visits
- Town of Schodack: 26,059 visits
- Village of Nassau: 31,798 visits
- Hamlet of North Chatham: 33,379 visits
- Hamlet of Niverville: 29,022
- Village of Kinderhook: 48,506 visits
- Hamlet of Stuyvesant Falls: 19,469 visits
In November 2023, HRVG moved the counters to four new locations in Nassau, Valatie,
Stockport, and Greenport, where the counters will remain in place for twelve months to
collect “year-three data.” By the end of 2024, after annual trail counts have been
collected at 12 specific locations, HRVG will have sufficient data to project total annual
visitation to the entire AHET trail. The full report can be found on HRVG's website.
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Register Now for the Museum Association of New York's 2024 Annual Conference: Giving Voice to Value
This year's Museum Association of New York's (MANY) 2024 Annual Conference will be hosted in Albany, NY, on April 6 - 9, 2024, and is sponsored by the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. The theme "Going Voice to Value" highlights the idea that it is time to look at new ways to communicate our value to stakeholders, funders, legislators, visitors, and communities. Museums dedicate resources to rationalize relevance, impact, community service, and investment in collections, programs, and facilities.
The conference will feature over 100 presenters in 25 concurrent sessions, workshops, special events at the NYS Education Department Building and NYS Museum, and more.
Earlybird registration is until Friday, February 16th. Register now or check out the full conference schedule.
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Governor Hochul Announces $1.8 Million in Grant Awards to State Parks, Trails, Historic Sites, and Public Lands Partner Organizations
In January, Governor Kathy Hochul announced $1.8 million in grants to support 27 not-for-profit organizations involved with the stewardship of state parks, trails, historic sites, and other public lands. Of the $1.8 million, $790,770 in grants were awarded 11 organizations in the Hudson Valley and Capital Region. The grants support public-private partnerships leveraging private funds for new state park amenities, to engage in state park and historic site maintenance and beautification projects, and to provide educational programming and special events. Grants are administered by Parks & Trails New York, in partnership with the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation and the Department of Environmental Conservation.
The funded Hudson Valley and Capital Region projects were:
- Mohonk Preserve, Inc.: $41,000
- Friends of Mills Mansion: $300,000
- Little Stony Point Citizens Association, Inc.: $30,593
- Bannerman Castle Trust: $107,100
- Walkway Over the Hudson: $33,740
- Friends of Five Rivers: $27,638
- Upper Hudson Northern Catskill Natural Resource Trust dba Greene Land Trust: $26,500
- Friends of Schuyler Mansion: $33,264
- Saratoga Mountain Bike Association: $11,835
- Friends of Clermont: $54,000
- Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association: $125,100
Read the full story.
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Call for Papers: The 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution in New York
by New York History Journal
New York History invites submissions for a special volume on the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in New York to be published by Cornell University Press in Spring 2026.
Proposed contributions should focus on some aspect of the Revolution in New York. All areas of the Revolution - including political, military, social, economic, cultural, constitutional among others - are invited. Studies that examine the "memory" of the Revolution, the Revolution’s promise, and the Revolution's success and/or shortcomings are all invited for possible publication. Papers that are breaking new ground, looking at previously underrepresented groups, or reinterpreting past interpretation are particularly encouraged.
A 250-word abstract of your proposed topic and 1-2 page C.V. will be due by March 1, 2024. You are encouraged to contact Thomas Wermuth at Thomas.Wermuth@Marist.edu.
Paper submissions will be due by October 1, 2024. Submissions should be 6,000-8,000 words, including notes. Read the full call for papers.
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Hudson River Valley Greenway's Grant Applications Are Now Hosted on the Greenway's Online Grants Platform
Grant and sponsorship applications for all Hudson River Valley Greenway and Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage programs, including Community/Compact Planning, Conservancy Trail, and Heritage Sponsorships are now on an online grants platform, HRVG Grants Platform. This is the only way to apply for our grants. A link to the virtual application process and detailed guidance may be found on our website.
All funding applications are required to submit grant applications on the online platform to apply for funding for all grant rounds. Applicants must register on the HRVG Grant Platform using their email address. Older applications will not be accepted.
If you have any questions or concerns, email grants@hudsongreenway.ny.gov or call us at (518) 473-3835.
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News From Our Partners at the Hudson River Estuary Program | |
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Important Reminders
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Join a Women in Science Webinar on Play and Mindfulness in Environmental Education on February 7, 2024, at 3:30 P.M. Register now.
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Provide Input on Freshwater Wetland Regulations Through February 19th
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (NYSDEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos is encouraging New Yorkers to review and comment on the development of proposed regulations that would further protect freshwater wetlands statewide. NYSDEC released the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to begin developing regulations to implement the new law that expands the number of wetlands regulated by NYSDEC.
Starting in January 2025, the scope of regulated smaller wetlands of “unusual importance” will be expanded to wetlands that meet one of 11 specific criteria in order to provide additional fish and wildlife habitat and to protect communities from flooding. The ANPR seeks feedback on the potential criteria that will be used to classify these newly protected wetlands.
Find more information about the public comment period and view the ANPR in the New York State Register or on NYSDEC's website. Submit comments by February 19, 2024.
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Upcoming Events
Black History & Culture: Black Presence. Profound Influence., Bethany Arts Community, Ossining, NY
February 2 to March 8: Join the Opening Reception for the 4th installment of this award-winning exhibit or simply visit the exhibit that expands the historic storytelling out of the Ossining borders into the surrounding communities that have impacted the world. Read more.
Journey to Freedom – Honoring Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement, Underground Railroad Education Center, Albany, NY
February 3: Join others in honoring the work of 15 local civil rights activists and preview their oral history interviews. Learn more.
Mastodons, Mohicans, and More! Ghent 12,000 BC – 1790 AD, Village Hall, Kinderhook, NY
February 3: Ghent Town Historian Gregg Berninger will bring to life Columbia County’s pre-1818 years before Ghent was even Ghent. Find out more.
"Go Back and Get It," Historic Huguenot Steet, New Paltz, NY
February 3-24: A Two-Part Historic House Tour Examining Black Impacts and Experiences on Huguenot Street. More info.
Rockland Arts Festival, Palisades Center, West Nyack, NY
February 4: Meet the artists at this FREE event and learn about their artwork. Enjoy live music, art bingo, refreshments, and more! More info.
Nature's Classroom: Integrating Play and Mindfulness in Environmental Education (WEBINAR)
February 7: Join a Women in Science webinar about play and mindfulness in environmental education. Read more.
Traveling to the Heart of the Andes (WEBINAR)
February 7: Dr Mauricio Diazgranados will guide viewers through a journey traversing Church’s painting, sharing his photographs, adventures, and knowledge with over 30 years of experience hiking and exploring the flora of these mountains. More details.
Thompson’s Lake Ice Fishing Competition, Thacher State Park, Voorheesville, NY
February 10: Cash prizes for the longest fish in trout, pickerel, and perch categories. Kids under 12 years fish for free. Find out more.
Permitting and Site Selection Strategies for EV Charging Infrastructure (WEBINAR)
February 13: Join the Joint Office for the first of a two-part webinar series planning for permitting, zoning, and building code considerations for EV charging infrastructure. More info.
Brought Forth on this Continent; Abraham Lincoln and American Immigration (WEBINAR)
February 15: In this new book historian Harold Holzer describes the 16th President's efforts to come to terms with the politics of immigration in the decades leading up to the Civil War. Read more.
Navigating Zoning for EV Charging Infrastructure (WEBINAR)
February 15: Join the Joint Office for the second in a two-part webinar series on planning for permitting, zoning, and building code considerations for EV charging infrastructure. More details.
The Moral Arc Toward Freedom, NYS Museum, Albany, NY
February 15: Join the opening of a new exhibition that features two important historic documents: the preliminary draft of the Emancipation Proclamation and select page from MLK's September 1962 speech in NYC. More info.
Drop-In Snowshoe Lessons, Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Cragsmoor, NY
February 17: This program is designed for people who are beginners and are interested in trying snowshoeing as a new winter activity. Learn more.
Lunar New Year 2024, Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, NY
February 17: Kick off the Year of the Dragon with traditional Asian arts, crafts, demonstrations, and performances for all ages! Read more.
Celebrate Washington's Birthday, Knox's Headquarters State Historic Site, Vails Gate, NY
February 18: Celebrate George Washington's birthday with musket firings and artillery demonstrations. More details.
Celebrate Washington's Birthday, New Windsor Catonment State Historic Site, New Windsor, NY
February 17 & 19: Celebrate George Washington's birthday with military drills, cannon firings and more. More info.
Youth Empowerment & Sustainability Summit, Ashokan Center, Olivebridge, NY
February 21-23: Sessions are led by regional experts in civic engagement surrounding the environment, students discussing their own experiences, and groups working together to develop action plans to build upon so they may enact change in their community. Find out more.
American Revolution Trivia Night, Putnam History Museum, Cold Spring, NY
February 23: Join this fun and informative look back at how the American Revolution left its mark on our area’s history! Read more.
Emergency Planning: Working with First Responders (WEBINAR)
February 27: This webinar will highlight what to expect when working with local first responders during an emergency and advice for ensuring coordinated responses that are as smooth as possible. Learn more.
Curbside EV Charging Strategies (WEBINAR)
February 27: The Joint Office will host a webinar on best practices, challenges, and strategies for effectively planning, deploying, and operating EV curbside charging projects. Find out more.
Spaces of Enslavement: A History of Slavery and Resistance in Dutch New York (WEBINAR)
February 27: Scholar Andrea Mosterman walks participants through her new book on how to relay “how spatial analysis can be used to better understand how enslavers used space to control the people they enslaved, and how enslaved people resisted in these spaces.” Read more.
Collage Plus!, Pelham Art Center, Pelham, NY
February 28: This class will revolve around making your own collage papers and using them to create unique works of art. Students will experiment with different surface treatments, stamping, sanding, and embedding textures. More details.
I BIRD NY: Early Morning Bird Walks, Fiver River Environmental Education Center, Delmar, NY
February 29: Monitor the birds at Five Rivers. Meet outside the visitor center. After a brief introduction, you’ll head out on the trails. More info.
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Heritage Spotlight: Discover Albany Visitors Center, Albany County
The Albany Heritage Area comprises all of downtown Albany and is one of 20 New York State Heritage Areas and Corridors that preserve, interpret, and promote special places in the Empire State. The center is located in the former Quackenbush Pumping Station, built in the 1870s, where water was pumped from the Hudson River for filtration before being pumped uphill to city reservoirs. The center provides visitors access to information seven days a week and a gift shop is stocked with unique Albany items and locally made products. The visitor center is the ideal jumping-off point for exploring Albany or the Capital Region. Knowledgeable staff can answer visitor inquiries and the center is well-stocked with travel brochures. Print versions of self-guided walking tours are available year-round, and guided walking tours are offered seasonally. Learn more.
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Project Spotlight: Kinderhook Creek Recreational Resource Inventory
The Village of Kinderhook in Columbia County received a Community Planning Grant to complete a recreational inventory along the Kinderhook Creek in the Villages of Kinderhook and Valatie. On July 27, 2017, New York State designated a portion of the Kinderhook Creek, which runs through the Villages of Kinderhook and Valatie, as an inland waterway presenting attractive opportunities. The Recreational Resource Inventory identifies potential enhancements to recreational resources around Kinderhook Creek and leverages future funding. The report includes public access points along the Creek for various recreational uses, such as kayaking fishing, and swimming to help increase public awareness. The report also includes connections to local and regional assets, such as the 36-mile Albany-Hudson Electric Trail. Check out the report.
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Try a Green Form of Transportation
“Get There Green!” Utilize green modes of transportation. Public transportation options to explore include buses, the subway, and the train. Consider carpooling, biking, walking, and more. Help reduce emissions and fossil fuel use. Learn more.
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Grant and Funding Opportunities
Greenway Conservancy Trail Grant Program
This grant program is dedicated to funding recreational trail projects. Special consideration is given to projects that seek to implement the goals of the Greenway Trail Program. The upcoming deadlines for applications are due on HRVG's Online Grants Platform by May 23, 2024. More details.
Hudson River Valley Greenway Community Grant Program
Matching grants are available for Greenway Communities and Greenway Compact Communities. The upcoming deadlines for applications this year are due on HRVG's Online Grants Platform by May 23, 2024. More info.
National Heritage Area Sponsorships Available
The Maurice D. Hinchey 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 complimenting 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. Municipalities and nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations located within the HRVNHA are eligible to apply. Applications are available on HRVG's Online Grants Platform. For more information, please contact Dan Jeanson at daniel.jeanson@hudsongreenway.ny.gov or 518-473-3835.
Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) Program
This program awards funding to eligible entities to deploy, install, and operate advanced transportation technologies to improve safety, mobility, efficiency, system performance, intermodal connectivity, and infrastructure return on investment. Up to $120 million ($60 million for FY 2023 and $60 million for FY 2024) is set aside for the ATTAIN Program to fund grants under this NOFO. Deadline: February 2, 2024. More details.
The Cole Fellowship Program
The Thomas Cole National Historic Site (TCNHS) is now reviewing applications for the Cole fellowship, a one-year, residential fellowship at the Thomas Cole National Historic site. Cole Fellows participate in the research and interpretation of the work, home, and studios of the artist, Thomas Cole (1801 – 1848). This includes conducting new primary research and working with staff on museum-wide offerings spanning exhibitions and collections to educational programs, audience engagement, and more. Deadline: February 6, 2024. Find out more.
Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Grants
This program supports projects that improve transportation coordination and enhance mobility, including access to non-emergency medical transportation. Applications will be evaluated based on criteria outlined in the NOFO. Deadline: February 13, 2024. More info.
National Endowment for the Arts Grants for Arts Projects
The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support the nation’s arts sector with grant opportunities so that everyone can live more artful lives. The arts are also crucial to helping us make sense of our circumstances from different perspectives as we emerge from the pandemic and plan for the future. Grants for Arts Projects is their largest grants program for organizations, providing comprehensive and expansive funding opportunities for communities. Deadline: February 15, 2024. Learn more.
2024 NYS Canal System Tourism Infrastructure and Events Grants
The New York State Canal Corporation and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor are offering competitive grant funding to support tourism and recreation along the New York State Canal System including canal waterways and Canalway Trail. The 2024 program will support tourism infrastructure and amenity improvements, and events. Deadline: February 23, 2024. More details.
FY 2024 RAISE Grants Notice of Funding Opportunity
RAISE grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, per statute, for planning or constructing surface transportation infrastructure projects that will improve safety; environmental sustainability; quality of life; mobility and community connectivity; economic competitiveness and opportunity including tourism; state of good repair; partnership and collaboration; and innovation. Deadline: February 28, 2024. Read more.
N. G. Kaul Memorial Scholarship
In honor of a former Director of DEC's Division of Water, up to $5,000 in scholarships is available to students pursuing graduate or doctoral degrees in environmental/civil engineering or environmental science concentrating on water quality who show a commitment to government service. Deadline: February 29, 2024. More info.
2024 Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Technical Assistance Opportunity
NPS-RTCA assists communities and public land managers in evolving climate resiliency strategies, developing or restoring parks, conservation areas, rivers, and wildlife habitats, as well as creating recreation opportunities and programs that engage future generations in the outdoors. Deadline: March 1, 2024. Find out more.
Veterans and Nature: Enhancing Well-being Through Outdoor Experiences Grant Program
The goal of this grant is to increase the engagement of veterans’ communities in understanding the physical and mental health benefits of time in nature and provide opportunities for physical and mental health-focused outdoor activities at US Forest Service sites and other public lands (including state and local sites). Deadline: March 1, 2024. Read more.
2024 Tibor T. Polgar Undergraduate Fellowship
The Tibor T. Polgar Undergraduate Fellowship program is a student research program of the Hudson River Foundation (HRF) conducted in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Named in honor of Dr. Tibor T. Polgar, a major participant in the early planning and development of the Foundation, the program provides a summer grant ($5,500 for each fellowship) and research funds (up to $1,500) for up to eight undergraduate students to conduct research on the Hudson River, under the guidance of a faculty mentor (mentors to receive a $1,000 honorarium). Deadline: March 4, 2024. More info.
DHPSNY Planning & Assessment Services
Planning & Assessment services pair accepted organizations with DHPSNY staff to discuss current practices and set recommendations and goals specific to your capacity and needs. Final reports can be utilized to obtain funding, increase the accessibility and use of your collections, and more. Deadline: March 8, 2024. More details.
Northern Border Regional Commission Grant Program
The Catalyst Program is designed to stimulate economic growth and inspire partnerships that improve rural economic vitality across the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) four-state region. The Catalyst Program supports a broad range of economic development initiatives that will: modernize and expand water and wastewater systems; revitalize transportation infrastructure; establish workforce development programs and facilities; grow outdoor recreation infrastructure and economies; and construct new childcare and healthcare facilities. Only available in Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Washington County. There are two funding rounds in 2024, with pre-application deadlines on March 15 and September 6, and full application deadlines on May 3 and October 18, respectively. More info.
Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants
The Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants Program supports subgrant programs that enable the rehabilitation of historic properties and rehabilitate, protect, and foster economic development of rural communities. This program funds preservation projects for historic sites, including architectural and engineering services and physical building preservation through subgrants to communities determined rural by the US Bureau of the Census. Deadline: March 19, 2024. Read more.
Candevra Foundation Grant Program
The Candreva Environmental Foundation is a New York state-based organization that provides seed money for local environmental education initiatives and projects that engage young people in environmental service. Awards of up to $500 can be used for materials, printing costs, student and teacher travel, communication costs, and other project-related expenses. Grants are limited to Westchester and Putnam Counties. Deadline: June 1, 2024. Find out more.
Inflation Reduction Act Community Change Grants Program
The EPA is accepting applications on a rolling basis for $2 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding available to support community-driven projects that build capacity for communities to tackle environmental and climate justice challenges, strengthen their climate resilience, and advance clean energy. Applications will be accepted until November 21, 2024. Learn more.
The Peter H. Brink Leadership Fund
The Peter H. Brink Leadership Fund helps to build the capacity of existing preservation organizations and encourages collaboration among these organizations by providing grants for mentoring and other peer-to-peer and direct organizational development and learning opportunities. 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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