May 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

  • Limiting face-to-face contact with others is the best way to reduce the spread of COVID-19. When you are in public, wearing a mask and practicing social distancing can help reduce the spread. Learn more.

  • Don't forget to register your event for the Hudson River Valley Ramble by June 1st to meet the print deadline. Register your event now.

  • National Endowment for the Humanities offers emergency relief funding to cultural institutions affected by the coronavirus. Deadline: May 11, 2020. Read more.

  • Register for Greater Hudson Heritage Network's three-part workshop series Make It Work: DIY Collection Storage Solutions. Register now.

New Heritage Grant Round Announced, Sponsorships Available for Virtual Events, and Temporary Suspension of Greenway Planning and Trail Grants

The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area announces the opening of a new Heritage Grant round in order to more timely provide funds to HRVNHA heritage sites during the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand that many sites are closed to the public resulting in extraordinary impacts to ticket/tour revenues. This new round of grants will not impact applications received in February 2020.

One 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 June 19, 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.

We would also like to remind our partners that NHA Sponsorships are still available to organizations that are planning virtual events and programs. Sponsorships and Heritage Grants will temporarily allow for reimbursement of staff time. This temporary change allows staff time to be reimbursed if it was utilized for the direct development of virtual programming.

Due to New York’s ongoing budget crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are unable to award Greenway Council/Compact Planning Grants or Greenway Conservancy Trail Grants until further notice and we cannot pay claims during the crisis. We will advise grantees when payments may resume and when new grants become available. We apologize for the inconvenience.
New Hudson Train Tour Audio Stories

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. The new stories are:

  1. “Birds of the Hudson Valley”,
  2. “Ice Harvesting on the Hudson”,
  3. “Hudson River Pilots”,
  4. “Geology of the Catskill Mountains”,
  5. “Bridges of the Hudson”,
  6. “Commercial Fisherman of the Hudson”,
  7. “Hamilton and the Schuylers”,
  8. “FDR in the Hudson Valley”,
  9. “Immigration and Race in Newburgh”,
  10. "John Burroughs & Slabsides”.

These 10 new audio stories complement the 18 stories already available in the app to bring you 28 clips about everything from Ice Yachting on the Hudson to Washington Irving and Sleepy Hollow. As well as the new audio, we have organized the stories into four “Voices of…” tours, which include:

  1. “Voices of What’s Out the Window”,
  2. “Voices of Freedom & Dignity”,
  3. “Voices of Nature & Culture”,
  4. “Voices of Corridor of Commerce”.

We hope that you enjoy these new features from home for now and we will see you on the train in the future!
Some Social Distancing Tips When Visiting Trails and the Outdoors

New Yorkers are encouraged to recreate locally, practice social distancing, and use common sense to protect themselves and others. Getting outdoors to walk, jog, hike, ride a bicycle, or visit a trail, park or state lands is a healthy way to stay active, spend time with your immediate household family members, and reduce stress and anxiety while practicing physical distancing. Here are a few things to consider to make your next adventure a bit safer:

  • Stay home if you are sick, or showing or feeling any COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever, coughing, and/or troubled breathing;
  • Stay local and keep visits short;
  • If parking lots are full, please do not park along roadsides or other undesignated areas. To protect your safety and that of others, please choose a different trail or park to visit, or return another time or day when parking is available;
  • Practice social distancing by keeping at least six (6) feet of distance between yourself and others, even when outdoors. Also, don't forget to bring mask with you just in case social distancing becomes difficult to practice;
  • Maintain distance from others while in places where people tend to congregate, such as parking lots, trailheads, and scenic overlooks;
  • Avoid unnecessary contact with surfaces that are often touched, such as handrails; and
  • Wash hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol when soap and water are not available.

For more information on how to protect your self on trails and in the outdoors check the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation's website .
New National Heritage Area Website Menu Options

We wanted to let you know about a change in the menu options on our website, www.hudsonrivervalley.com . In order to better serve you, we have added a ‘Programs’ menu option to the homepage. Under Programs you will find the links to the Hudson River Valley Ramble, the Hudson Train Tour, Voices of the Hudson, Grants, Sponsorships, Women’s Rights in the Hudson Valley, Dutch History in the Hudson Valley, Trails, and Tourism Info. Under About you can link to Themes, Press Room, Newsletters, Our Staff, Partners, Social, and Contact. When you have the opportunity, visit our website to explore the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area from your home .
John Jay Homestead Needs Your Help

John Jay Homestead State Historic Site will be mounting a new exhibit and is asking the public to help. Reflections on Our Past: A Viewer Response Exhibit II , will be an entirely digital exhibit curated with responses from the community. In 2013, John J opened their first Reflections exhibit in the Back Parlor Gallery. Invited guests, representing their local community, were asked to select an object from the collection to comment on in whatever medium they wished. Their responses included drawings, poems, essays, and even an exact replica in clay. Today John Jay Homestead State Historic Site invites you to their digital community to participate in the second Reflections exhibit.

Participants will choose one of twenty-five objects to respond to; the objects selected for inclusion can be found on John Jay Homestead State Historic Site's website. The responses may take any form, and participants are encouraged to be creative. The exhibit is open to all ages.

All of the directions, images of available objects and submission instructions can be found on www.johnjayhomestead.org . Submissions are due by May 31, 2020 . For questions please contact Bethany.white@parks.ny.gov . John Jay Homestead continues to add digital content on a rolling basis. Check their website regularly for new content. The grounds of John Jay Homestead are open to the public daily from sunrise to sunset. You are encouraged to visit the grounds, but please maintain social distancing. For more information visit www.johnjayhomestead.org.
Television Premiere of Beatrix Farrand's American Landscapes on PBS Station

It is exciting to announce the television premiere of Beatrix Farrand's American Landscapes on PBS Station WNET/Thirteen June 1st at 10pm! The documentary follows award-winning public garden designer Lynden B. Miller as she explores the remarkable life and career of America’s first female landscape architect, Beatrix Farrand. Through the documentary, Miller journeys to the iconic Farrand gardens, engaging designers, scholars and horticulturists in a spirited dialogue about the meaning and importance of this ground-breaking early 20th-century woman. Lynden Miller’s experience as New York City’s most prominent public garden designer is woven into a wide-ranging biography of Farrand’s life. Farrand's garden is located at Bellefield Mansion in Hyde Park on the grounds of the Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites, and the Beatrix Farrand Garden Association is a formal Partner with these National Historic Sites. The garden is open from 7am to dusk every day and there is no entrance fee. Find out more .
Upcoming Events

* Please note that d ue to the spread of COVID-19, many heritage sites have announced that they are cancelling events, closing, or reducing hours. Please call the individual sites directly to inquire their current status. New York State Parks remain open. Although many events, tours, and social gatherings have been postponed. 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.

Staatsburgh State Historic Site Virtual Resources
Though the mansion remains closed, Staatsburgh is providing online content for those who want to explore our history while isolating at home. There are resources available on their Facebook page , blog , and YouTube. The grounds are also open from dawn until dusk. They even have a printable scavenger hunt to do while exploring the park!

Thomas Cole National Historic Site Virtual Resources
Explore hours of virtual content provided by the Thomas Cole National Historic Site on YouTube. Check it out .

Virtual Garden Programs from the Beatrix Farrand Garden Association, Every Tuesday at 10am:  Join the Beatrix Farrand Garden Association on Instagram Stories Live @beatrixfarrandgarden for a short impromptu tour of what's in bloom in the garden. Horticulturist Karen Waltuch will personally show you a glimpse of the season week by week. On Fridays join our garden team of Karen Waltuch, Anne Symmes and NPS Horticulturist Anna de Cordova as we answer your gardening questions, tell some lesser-known tales of Beatrix Farrand, share the history of our garden and more! Send any garden questions you might have to info@beatrixfarrandgardenhydepark.org and we'll try to tackle them. Videos will be released on Instagram and Facebook @beatrixfarrandgarden and on  YouTube .

Groundwater Sustainability Plans: What We Now Know and What is Yet to be Learned (WEBINAR)
May 12: This webinar will provide helpful insights to agencies and consultants for successfully drafting their ground water sustainability plans to meet legal standards, and will identify areas that are yet to be clarified by the reviewing state agencies. Find out more .

Maximizing and Measuring Virtual Programs (WEBINAR)
May 13: This webinar is designed to help libraries develop targeted outcomes to use when designing online programs to maximize the learning opportunities and measure the resulting value of them from attendees. Learn more .

Land Use Moratoria (WEBINAR)
May 13: This course looks at, among other things, the court cases that shaped the "rules" for adopting moratoria and the procedures local officials should follow in adopting moratorium laws. More details .

Tenacious Plants for Tough Places (WEBINAR)
May 13: In this talk, Andi Pettis will present some of the toughest plants growing in urban parks, both the cultivated species and some of the plants that grew wild, spontaneously and without any care or thought from human beings. More info .

Common Ground: Shared Goals for the Trails and Health Communities (WEBINAR)
May 14: Trails are shown to improve health both mentally and physically, yet the healthcare industry and the trails industry rarely work together. There are many reasons for this, such as logistics, bureaucracy, and communication issues.  Find out more .

2020 Cole Fellows’ Digital Presentations (WEBINAR)
May 15: The Thomas Cole National Historic Site's Cole Fellows will be making digital presentations. Learn more .

Achieving Sustainability of Rockland County Through Sustainable Water Resources (WEBINAR)
May 18: This session will focus on how land use board members can incorporate water resources in their reviews, including storm water, thereby helping to ensure the long-term viability and strength of the community. More info .

Old Trails, New Systems: Re-Imagining Existing Trail Networks (WEBINAR)
May 19: When people are getting lost and trails aren’t meeting hiker needs, what can you do? Join Trail Program Manager Peter Dolan to see real-world examples of re-imagining trail networks to provide solutions to these problems. More details .

Spring Ephemerals (WEBINAR)
May 20: Join Darrah Cole on a virtual walk to discover the surprising delights of spring ephemeral and bulbs. Read more .

Conservation and Land Use 101: Hudson Valley Forest Condition Index (WEBINAR)
May 20: Conserving Hudson Valley forests is vital for the multiple benefits they provide communities - but which forests are most important, and why? Learn more .

Mountain Top Arboretum – Timber Frame Education Center from Catskill Native Trees (WEBINAR)
May 27: Join Marc Wolf for an inspiring visit to the Mountain Top Arboretum forest. The forest provided the timber for the construction of the Arboretum’s new timber frame Education Center. More details .

Comprehensive Planning (WEBINAR)
May 27: This session will include a discussion of the practical and legal benefits of adopting a comprehensive plan. Find out more .

Invasives Strike Force Surveyor Workshop (WEBINAR)
May 30: Would you like to help protect our environment while you hike? Want to learn how to identify some common invasive plants? Take this workshop to find out how! More info .
Heritage Spotlight: Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site

When the British captured this rocky peninsula in May 1779, they began to construct an earthen fortress intended to disrupt Washington’s Continental Army in the Hudson Highlands and block the King’s Ferry crossing below. Two months later, on July 16, George Washington and Brigadier General Anthony Wayne launched a daring nighttime assault that surprised the garrison and allowed American forces to gain control of the fort within a half hour. Today, the site features a self-guided walking trail and a museum displaying artifacts uncovered during archaeological digs. Also on the grounds is the Stony Point Lighthouse, the Hudson River’s oldest, which protected the southern entrance to the Hudson Highlands from 1826 to 1925.  You can visit the grounds for a walk or adventure on weekdays from 10AM-5PM. Learn more .
Project Spotlight: Sword Surrender March Trail: Garnsey Trailhead

The Town of Saratoga received a Greenway Community Planning grant to design and construct the Garnsey Trailhead. The trailhead project consisted of a curb cut, gravel access entrance, a gravel parking lot, a timber half gate and bollard, and some site restoration. The trailhead is the southern access point for the Burgoyne March Trail, which connects US Route 4 with the Empire State Trail (EST) and Champlain Canalway Trail following the Old Champlain Canal towpath. The Sword Surrender March Trail project allowed for an off-road alternative to an on-road section of the EST for pedestrians and bicyclists. This critical segment meets the goal of the EST by providing access to a variety of historic and cultural landmarks, such as the new Champlain Canal Region Gateway Visitors Center, the General Philip Schuyler House in Saratoga National Historical Park , and the historic Sword Surrender Site. Learn more about the Town of Saratoga or Empire State Trail .
Grow More, Mow Less

We're heading into lawn care season! You can help pollinators, save money, and have clearer air by reducing the area of your property that you mow. If you have the space, consider letting an area of your lawn grow long. You'd be surprised what a little meadow can do for wildlife, especially fireflies. 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 website.  One 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 June 19, 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 organiza tions 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 signifi cant 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. Sponsorships will temporarily allow for reimbursement of staff time. This temporary change allows staff time to be reimbursed if it was utilized for the direct development of virtual programming. 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 a t daniel.jeanson@hudsongreenway.ny.gov or 518-473-3835.

Teaching the Hudson Valley Explore Awards
These matching grants are intended to create opportunities for students to explore the history, environment, and culture of the Hudson River Valley, connecting their studies to significant places. They encourage students’ appreciation for and stewardship of their communities and cultures, and connect teachers with site educators and place-based learning. Eligible expenses include transportation and admission fees to eligible Hudson Valley locations for school groups. Read more .

NEH CARES: Cultural Organizations
NEH invites applications from eligible organizations seeking support for at-risk humanities positions and projects that have been impacted by the coronavirus. Through this funding opportunity, NEH will award grants to museums, libraries and archives, historic sites, independent research institutions, professional organizations, colleges and universities, and other cultural organizations across the country to help these entities continue to advance their mission during the interruption of their operations due to the coronavirus pandemic. Deadline: May 11, 2020. Read more. 

New York State Environmental Excellence Awards
This awards program recognizes those who are implementing innovative, sustainable actions or working in creative partnerships to improve and protect New York State's environment and contribute to a healthier economy. Successful candidates will demonstrate significant and measurable environmental, economic and social benefits as a result of new and unique projects or programs that go beyond standard techniques or regulatory requirements. An award ceremony will provide winners with an opportunity to present information and display materials about their projects. Deadline:  May 15, 2020 .  Learn more .

Community Economic Development Projects Grant
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Services (OCS) will award approximately $13.6 million in Community Economic Development (CED) discretionary grant funds to Community Development Corporations (CDC) for well-planned, financially viable, and innovative projects to enhance job creation and business development for individuals with low-income. CED grants will be made as part of a broader strategy to address objectives such as decreasing dependency on federal programs, chronic unemployment, and community deterioration in urban and rural areas. CED projects are expected to actively recruit individuals with low-income to fill the positions created by CED-funded development activities, to assist those individuals to successfully hold those jobs and to ensure that the businesses and jobs created remain viable for at least one year after the end of the grant period. Deadline: May 26, 2020 . More info .

NYSP2I 2020/2021  Community Grants Program
The Community Grants Program supports initiatives that promote public awareness, understanding, and implementation of pollution prevention practices at the local level. NYSP2I invites applications from community organizations, municipal departments, and other public sector and nonprofit entities based in New York State. Deadline: May 29, 2020 . Find out more .

NYSCA/GHHN Collections Needs Assessment Program
The NYSCA/GHHN Collection Needs Assessment Program is a NYSCA/GHHN Grant partnership program which provides two opportunities for museums across 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 : June 1, 2020 . Find out more .

Publishing Historical Records in Documentary Editions
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission seeks proposals to publish documentary editions of historical records. Projects may focus on broad historical movements in U.S. history, such as politics, law (including the social and cultural history of the law), social reform, business, military, the arts, and other aspects of the national experience, or may be centered on the papers of major figures from American history. Whether conceived as a thematic or a biographical edition, the historical value of the records and their expected usefulness to broad audiences must justify the costs of the project. The Commission is especially interested in projects to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. A grant is for one year and for up to $175,000. The Commission expects to make up to 25 grants in this category for a total of up to $3,000,000. Deadline: June 10, 2020 . More details .

Access to Historical Records: Major Initiatives FY 2021
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission seeks projects that will significantly improve public discovery and use of major historical records collections. The Commission is especially interested in collections of America’s early legal records, such as the records of colonial, territorial, county, and early statehood and tribal proceedings that document the evolution of the nation’s legal history. A grant is for one to three years and between $100,000 and $350,000. Deadline: July 9, 2020 . Read more .

EcoSolution™ Grants  
Grants range from $500-$2,500 and are intended to support solution-oriented, youth-led projects that result in real environmental outcomes. ecoSolution™ Grants are available to educators working with youth in the United States (international projects are by invitation only). Deadline: July 15, 2020 . Learn more .

EcoTech™ Grants  
This program was created to combat the notion that students needed to choose between “the screen” or “the green” and to encourage educators and students to explore the role technology can play in designing and implementing solutions to some of our most pressing environmental challenges. We believe that technology can present innovative ways to address environmental challenges – and that when dealing with digital natives, we do ourselves a disservice by asking them to unplug. Deadline: July 15, 2020 . More details .

EcoStem™ Resource Kits
Captain Planet Foundation has developed four ecoSTEM Resource Kits ,  which are perfect for educators getting started with project-based learning. These custom-curated and designed collections of lessons and materials facilitate ecoSTEM learning and using the environment as a context for applying knowledge. Kits include cutting-edge project techniques, 3-dimensional learning, citizen science, and the best materials and equipment identified for each project. Deadline: July 15, 2020 . Read 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 Assembly Grants Action News 
State, federal, and private grant information from the New York State Assembly. More info .
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