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 

Important Reminders

• Greenway Planning and Trail Grant Applications are Due Through Our Online Grants Platform by January 26, 2024, and May 23, 2024. More Details.

• 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.

Hudson River Valley Greenway Announces $447,500 in Grants



At its December meeting, the Hudson River Valley Greenway approved three matching Greenway Planning awards and four Greenway Conservancy Trail awards totaling $447,500. 

The funded Greenway Planning projects include:

• $10,000 to Town of Chatham, for New Zoning Regulations
• $10,000 to Town of Poestenkill, for a Comprehensive Plan Update
• $5,000 to Village of Athens, for the Athens Riverine Living Museum and Education Center

The funded Greenway Conservancy Trail projects include:

• $250,000 to Open Space Institute Land Trust Inc., for Schunnemunk Meadows Trail
• $50,000 to Town of Bedford, for the Route 117 Multi-Use Trail Connectivity Design Plan
• $18,000 to Village of Rhinebeck, for the Rhinebeck/Red Hook Bike/Hike Trails Rehab and EST Connection
• $104,500 to Winnakee Land Trust Inc., for the Saw Kill-Red Hook Trail Phase II

The next round of Greenway Planning and Greenway Trail Grant applications are due through the Greenway's Online Grants Platform by January 26, 2024, and May 23, 2024. Information and guidelines are available here.

Take on the Centennial Challenge

The New York State Parks and Historic Sites Centennial Challenge celebrates 100 years of NY State Parks with a fun and interactive experience, accessible at all 250+ sites. You’ll have all of 2024 to tackle new adventures, earn prizes, and explore what makes NYS parks and historic sites so special. Finish 24 out of 100 missions to earn a commemorative Centennial prize, plus have your name entered into a random drawing for one of 24 three-year Empire Passes and a Centennial swag bag! Watch a tutorial to learn more about participating and the rules of entry. More info.

American Trails and Eppley Institute Launch Free Foundations of Sustainable Trails e-Course Series

American Trails announced the newly launched Foundations of Sustainable Trails, developed and hosted in partnership with the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands and the U.S. Forest Service. 

The e-course series contains short self-directed courses perfect for new trail crew members, volunteers, and students heading into in-person programs in trail planning, design, maintenance, construction, and management. The course curriculum focuses on core trail concepts, emphasizing what it means for a trail to be sustainable. The introductory course describes the lifecycle of sustainable trails, and four self-assessed mini-courses cover the basics of trail hydrology, structures, tools, and tread and alignment. 

You can find more about the Foundations of Sustainable Trails online training webpage on the American Trails website.

Canalway Challenge Celebrates Milestones

The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor's Canalway Challenge celebrated its fifth year in 2023, with participants from 30 US states and Canada topping 1.6 million miles walked, run, cycled, and paddled. That translates into a lot of fitness, fun, and exploration on the Canalway Trail and waterway, as well as an estimated $4 million in economic impact. Still, it’s the inspiring stories of personal milestones achieved that really define the program’s success: connections made with family, friends, and strangers; challenges overcome; goals achieved; and lifetime memories made.

The Canalway Challenge will be back in 2024 with a FEBRUARY 15 winter challenge and multi-mile challenge kicking off in the spring. If you exercise inside but miss the trail in the colder months, try Erie Canalway’s virtual miles– 15 Peloton-style videos filmed on the Erie Canalway Trail and Onondaga Creekwalk in Syracuse. Read the full story.

Hudson River Valley Greenway is Hiring an Executive Director



The Hudson River Valley Greenway is seeking to fill the position of Executive Director to replace Scott Keller, who will be retiring in March of 2024. The Executive Director serves as the lead executive for the staff of the Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council and the Greenway Conservancy for the Hudson River Valley, Inc., and reports to the chairs of each board. This individual also serves as Director of the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. The Heritage Area Director serves the governing board as the administrator and spokesperson for all programs and activities undertaken on its behalf and reports to the co-chairs of the Heritage Area board. There is no formal deadline for applications, however, priority will be given to applications received by January 5, 2024. Learn more.

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.

Important Reminders

• The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Launched a Redesigned and Mobile Friendly Website. Check it out.



Learning About the Hudson River Estuary

To inspire and engage people to become good stewards of the tidal Hudson and its ecosystem, learning about and experiencing the Hudson River first-hand is essential. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Hudson River Estuary Program, in partnership with the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve, implements a wide range of field and classroom programs to introduce students of all ages, residents, and visitors to the fish and wildlife, tides and currents, and habitats of the tidal Hudson and its watershed. The Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda sets a course to carry out this work through place-based programs, community science, research, exhibits, and curricula. Learn more.

Upcoming Events

Mid-Hudson Astronomical Association Monthly Star Party, Lake Taghkanic State Park, Ancram, NY

January 5: The Mid-Hudson Astronomical Association hosts a monthly stargazing party in the West Beach parking lot. Learn more.

Salutations of the Season!, Crailo State Historic Site, Rensselaer, NY

January 6: Festivities will highlight the holiday season as it may have been celebrated by the 17th and 18th-century residents of early Groenebosch! Read more.

Twelfth Night Celebration, Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site, Albany, NY

January 6: Visitors are welcome to join the annual Twelfth Night Celebration for an open house, replete with 18th-century holiday fare, live music, bonfires (weather permitting!), period reenactors, wassail toasts, and more! More details.

Planning Board Overview (WEBINAR)

January 10: This course addresses the powers and duties of town, village, and city planning boards and commissions. Find out more.

Activist Archives and Frameworks of Care (WEBINAR)

January 11: Through case studies, this presentation allows us to ask the question, how can the lessons be applied to your institution’s archives? More info.

The Spongy Moth in Our Yards and Forests, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY

January 11: Join in-person or livestream for a presentation on spongy moths, an invasive forest pest recently resurged. Learn more.

Risk Management During Trail Construction (WEBINAR)

January 11: This webinar will discuss best practices to reduce risk to your trail crew, company, agency, or organization during trail construction activities. Read more.

Sensory Hike: Rise and Shine!, Rockefeller State Park Preserve, Pleasantville, NY

January 12: Awaken your senses and tune in to nature in this embodied experience with Linda Parker. We'll begin with light stretching and breathing exercises before we set out on a short hike. More details.

Ice Fishing Contest, Grafton Lakes State Park, Grafton, NY

January 13: Join an Ice Fishing Contest! Cash prizes are awarded to adults with 1st place fish (longest catch) and more. More info.

Hanging Baskets, Glebe House, Poughkeepsie, NY

January 13-14: In this weekend workshop, students will work to weave beautiful baskets, perfect for collecting mail, treasures, or woolly winter mittens. Read more.

Zoning Board of Appeals Overview (WEBINAR)

January 17: This course for the zoning board of appeals focuses on the statutory tests boards must follow to grant use and area variances and proper handling of zoning interpretations. Learn more.

Nature Discovery for 2s and 3s, Sheldrake Environmental Center, Sheldrake, NY

January 18: This class is designed to expose children to the joys of nature at a young age towards the goal of cultivating a lifelong love of the natural world. Find out more.

Historian & A Movie: The Patriot, Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site, Yonkers, NY

January 19: "The Patriot" (2000, 165 mins) follows the fictional story of a veteran of the French and Indian Wars and his family as they are reluctantly pulled into the American Revolution. More info.

Family Art Workshop: A Ladder for the New Year, Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, NY

January 20: Writing down your goals or memories, each on a popsicle stick, and tying them together, can remind us that every year is its own journey! More details.

Mansion Tours, Staatsburgh State Historic Site, Staatsburgh, NY

January 26-27: See the magnificent Gilded Age home of Ruth Livingston Mills, decorated with its original furnishings. Read more.

Drop-In Snowshoe Lessons, Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Cragsmoor, NY

January 27: This program is designed for people who are beginners and are interested in trying snowshoeing as a new winter activity. Learn more.

Curatorial Tour of the Mansion, Clermont State Historic Site, Germantown, NY

January 28: Join Clermont's curator Geoff Benton for a special tour of the Mansion including a discussion of some of the most important pieces in the house as well as those hidden gems in the collection. Find out more.

Saratoga County Planning and Zoning Conference, Saratoga Springs City Center, Saratoga Springs, NY

January 31: Join the Saratoga County Department of Planning and Economic Development for an annual all-day conference. Read more.

Heritage Spotlight: John Jay Homestead State Historic Site, Westchester County

When John Jay left public life in 1801, after having served as president of the Continental Congress, drafter of the Treaty of Paris, chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, and governor of New York, he and his family moved into a 24-room Federal-style mansion that was built to befit his new career as a gentleman farmer on his 714-acre estate. Through four succeeding generations, the house’s size increased to 60 rooms. In 1958, the homestead was purchased by Westchester County and gifted to New York State. Today, the house is furnished to reflect changing tastes, with reproduction wallpapers and carpets as well as furniture primarily crafted in New York that Jay purchased for his new home. Family portraits, porcelain, and other artwork adorn the rooms. Outdoors, there is a magnificent beech allée, as well as three restored gardens. An early 19th-century barn features an exhibit about the Jays’ agricultural pursuits. Learn more.

Project Spotlight: Town of Lloyd - Phase I Visioning

The Town of Lloyd in Ulster County received a Community Planning Grant to undertake the initial community visioning phase to update their 2013 Comprehensive Plan. The project utilized various outreach methods to solicit public participation, including focus group meetings, stakeholder interviews, public workshops, a community survey, and online engagement. The project resulted in the creation of a visioning report summarizing the public and stakeholder engagement results. The report focuses on key issues and ideas raised during the community engagement process and provides an updated understanding of the Town’s current conditions. This report sets the stage for Phase 2, which will create the full Comprehensive Plan that will guide the future for the Town of Lloyd. Read the full report.

Energy Efficiency at Home

Keep drapes open during the day to let in the warm sunlight and closed at night to keep out drafts. Learn more.

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 January 26, 2024, and 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 January 26, 2024, and 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.

Environmentally Sustainable Transportation Projects

Projects will be selected through a competitive solicitation process and rated based on established criteria that include public benefit, air quality improvements, cost-effectiveness, and partnerships. Projects must be related to the surface transportation system and provide full access to the public. The TAP-CMAQ-CRP project awards will amount to no less than $500,000 and no more than $5 million for any single project. NYSDOT will provide up to 80 percent of the total eligible project costs with a minimum 20 percent match provided by the project sponsor. Eligible project costs may include planning, design/engineering services, right-of-way acquisition, construction, and construction inspection. Deadline: January 9, 2024. More info.

Transportation Alternatives Program

The Transportation Alternatives Program provides funding for a variety of generally smaller-scale transportation projects such as pedestrian and bicycle facilities; construction of turnouts, overlooks, and viewing areas; community improvements such as historic preservation and vegetation management; environmental mitigation related to stormwater and habitat connectivity; recreational trails; safe routes to school projects; and vulnerable road user safety assessments. Deadline: January 9, 2024. More details.

Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program

The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program provides funds to States for transportation projects designed to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality, particularly in areas of the country that do not attain national air quality standards. Deadline: January 9, 2024. Find out more.

New York State Nonprofit Infrastructure Capital Investment Program

$60 million in capital grant funding will be available to nonprofit human services organizations through the NICIP to support the delivery of critical services to New Yorkers. Eligible nonprofit organizations that provide direct programs and services to New Yorkers may receive grants ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 for the completion of small- and large-scale construction projects. Deadline: January 12, 2024. Read more.

Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections

This program helps cultural institutions meet the complex challenge of preserving large and diverse holdings of humanities materials for future generations by supporting environmentally sustainable preventive care measures that mitigate deterioration, prolong the useful life of collections, reduce energy consumption, and strengthen institutions’ ability to anticipate and respond to disasters. Deadline: January 12, 2024. More info.

Hackman Research Residency

The Larry J. Hackman Research Residency Program supports advanced work on New York State history, government, or public policy using historical records in the State Archives. The program is intended to defray travel-related research expenses and fund on-site research at the Archives by faculty and graduate students in the humanities and social, natural, and life sciences, public historians, and teachers. Deadline: January 15, 2024. Find out more.

Trails Capacity Grant Program

American Trails administers the Trails Capacity Program and invests in building nationwide trails community capacity by funding trail stewardship training, maintenance, research, and education. This grant program targets funding for small local trail projects that engage the community and connect trail assets to a broader spectrum of users. Deadline: January 15, 2024. More details.

Urban and Community Forestry Program

A total of $12.9 million was made available for urban and community forestry projects through the Inflation Reduction Act funding opportunity. The funding was made available by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service's Urban and Community Forestry Program to increase equitable access to healthy trees and green spaces in urban and community forests to support building a clean energy economy, advance environmental justice, and create economic opportunity. Deadline: January 31, 2024. Learn more.

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.

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.

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.

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.