November 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

  • Heritage Development Grant Applications Due November 6, 2020. More details.


Governor Cuomo Announces Launch of Virtual Passport Program to Promote Craft Breweries Along the Empire State Trail and a Comprehensive New Trail Website

In October, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the launch of a virtual passport program that will showcase the 200 craft breweries closely surrounding the Empire State Trail. As well as a comprehensive new website providing Empire State Trail users with quick and easy access to trail information.

At each brewery along the Trail, visitors can digitally check-in on the app, earning a stamp on both of the app's passport programs - the Think NY, Drink NY Passport and now the Empire State Trail Brewery Passport. The Empire State Trail Brewery Passport will encourage New Yorkers to visit breweries within 10 miles of the Empire State Trail.

The new Empire State Trail website provides quick and easy access to trail information along the 750-mile route including segment descriptions (paved and stone dust off-road trails, on-road sections, etc.), access points, trail distances, parking areas, restrooms, and nearby amenities and attractions. Cyclists are able to print "cue sheets" with highly detailed directions for following a selected trail segment. The site also features information about the variety of activities and destinations on or near the trail such as campgrounds, parks, historic sites, and popular stops among the local communities. Read more.
Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area Announces $18,170 in Grants

At its October meeting, the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area approved five matching grant awards totaling $18,170. The funded projects include:

  • $4,800 to Katonah Museum of Art, for Programming and Outreach for the Exhibition Arrivals.
  • $2,770 to National Heritage Trust, for Enhancing Digital Content Creation Capacity at Multiple State Historic Sites.
  • $3,600 to Mount Gulian State Historic Site, for Remote/Off-Site Interpretation.
  • $2,000 to Old Dutch Church of Kingston, for Permanent Historical Signage in Old Dutch Church Churchyard.
  • $5,000 to Revolutionary Westchester 250, for Discover Revolutionary Westchester: “Visit” with Local Patriots and Loyalists

The next round of Heritage Development Grants are due November 6, 2020. Information and guidelines are available here.
The Virtual Hudson Valley Writers’ Grand Tour

Teaching the Hudson Valley and the National Park Service, in collaboration with the National Writing Project, offer The Virtual Hudson Valley Writers’ Grand Tour. This self-paced, virtual writing program includes 360-degree images from The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt Historic Site (the Beatrix Farrand Garden and the FDR Home Garden), The Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site Formal Gardens, Edward Hopper House Museum and Study Center, and Olana State Historic Site.

Your tour will lead you to delve into each Hudson Valley site with writing prompts, historical context, questions to think about, site information, close-up views, and more! 

To begin your tour and explore your creativity visit THV's website.
Community Connections and Resilience in the Village of Piermont

The Village of Piermont is located at the confluence of the Hudson River and Sparkill Creek presenting significant flood risk and vulnerability to sea-level rise. Hurricanes Irene and Lee, in 2011, and Superstorm Sandy, in 2012, severely damaged its waterfront homes, businesses, and marinas. To address Piermont’s coastal flood risk, DEC’s Estuary Program, Scenic Hudson, and the Consensus Building Institute (CBI) helped the Village develop a resilience action plan which included policy and planning updates, capital investments, municipal operations, and infrastructure.

The Piermont Waterfront Resiliency Commission also established a Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) program, to provide check-ins for vulnerable community members in the event of another flood. The Neighbor to Neighbor program is improving community connectedness and social relationships which are valuable in any crisis. This has proved true for Piermont even in the wake of COVID-19. The program has helped residents stay connected and carry the emotional burden of social distancing by offering telephone conversations to N2N subscribers. Read more.
Registration is Now Open for Reflecting Our Community HEP Conference

Be sure to join the NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP) and the Hudson River Foundation virtually on the week of November 9-13, 2020 for their annual conference.
 
The conference this year is focused on fostering better community engagement, highlighting the efforts of community leaders and other partners that are striving for more inclusive and equitable management of the Estuary and waterfronts. The conference week will include interactive sessions on fairer public access, community-led habitat restoration and water quality management, environmental justice, and advancing inclusiveness and diversity in the sciences and environmental professions. Learn more.
Upcoming Events

*Please note that, while many heritage sites in the Hudson Valley have begun to reopen cautiously due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, some 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.

Download the NYS Parks Explorer App
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has launched a mobile app to provide visitors and prospective visitors helpful information about the variety of destinations, activities and adventures available throughout the Empire State's state parks and historic sites. Learn more.

Wilderstein's New Digital Catalog
Now everyone interested in Hudson Valley history can enjoy Wilderstein's rich collections online from the comfort of home. The catalog includes photographs, maps, architectural drawings, publications, and objects as well as detailed descriptions of archival and manuscript collections. Read more.

Lyndhurst Ramble Tours
Every Saturday & Sunday: This two-hour, two-mile adventure offers a complete overview of Lyndhurst’s historic landscape. This 67-acre Westchester site reflects 180 years of grand estate living on the Hudson River. Visitors will stroll past specimen trees, including the majestic lindens for which the property was named. Tours take place every Saturday and Sunday until November 22nd. More info.

Hike Along the Stream Edge on the Mossy Glen Footpath, Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Kerhonkson, NY
November 1: Join this approximately four-mile hike along the Peter's Kill stream, through mixed forests and across exposed, quartz conglomerate rock. Find out more.

Rigging for Trail Work (WEBINAR)
November 4: Ever wonder how trail builders move large stone and logs to build trail structures? Join the NYNJTC to learn how! Register now.

New York State Outdoor Educator's Association Annual Conference (WEBINAR)
November 5-8: Join the 52nd Annual Conference of the New York State Outdoor Educator's Association: The Climate of Outdoor Education. More details.

Conversation-Essential Work in the Cultural Field Food In/Security (WEBINAR)
November 6: This conversation will highlight how Dyckman Farmhouse Museum and Mid-Hudson Children's Museum are literally feeding their communities. Read more.

Riverport Women's Sailing Conference (WEBINAR)
November 6-7: The fourth annual Riverport Women's Sailing Conference is going virtual and international! Learn more.

Harvesting History Workshop: Herb-Infused Candles, Clermont State Historic Site, Germantown, NY
November 7: Just in time for the holidays! Using dried herbs, create aromatic and colorful home-made beeswax candles. More details.

NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program Annual Conference (WEBINAR)
November 9-13: This event will highlight HEP’s commitment to increasing diversity, equity and environmental justice, with trainings and panels that can help our partners make progress towards environmental and social goals. Read more.

Artist Days, Boscobel House and Gardens, Garrison, NY
November 10 & 12: With a free Artist Pass, artists are welcome to engage in active art-making on Boscobel’s grounds on select dates each month. Learn more.

Managing Woody Invasive Species in the Fall and Winter (WEBINAR)
November 12: Learn how to prevent, identify and manage woody invasive species including honeysuckle, common buckthorn, multiflora rose, and more in the fall and winter. More info.

Sudstainable Solutions to our Aleing Infrastructure (WEBINAR)
November 12: Join in virtual celebration with the Lower Hudson Partnership as they raise a pint to the water quality stewards who fuel our community monitoring programs, and dig into the world of green infrastructure. Find out more.

Ground Control: New Approaches to Agriculture (WEBINAR)
November 12: This is an opportunity for farmers, researchers, and policy makers to learn about the Carbon Farming Pilot. Join leaders and organizers at the intersection of farming, soil health, climate, and water quality. Learn more.

Conversation-Essential Work in the Cultural Field: Preserving Community Culture (WEBINAR)
November 13: This conversation will highlight how the Creative Justice Initiative and Alternate Roots are advocating for the preservation and support of community cultural spaces created and led by Black, Indigenous, and other people of color. More details.

Fall Birding Hike, Basic Creek Reservoir, Westerlo, NY
November 14: Come and see this incredible natural resource through a fall migratory bird’s view as you look for fall migratory upland and water birds with the Hudson Mohawk Bird Club. Learn more.

Flag Changing Ceremony, Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, Highland, NY
November 15: The American Legion Post 739 organize and present monthly Flag Changing Ceremonies on the Walkway to honor our region’s veterans and their service to our country. Read more.

Bicyclists Bring Business 2020 - Creating A Bike-Friendly Community (WEBINAR)
November 17: The event will take on a corridor-wide approach to attract cyclists and help grow local economies along the Canalway Trail. Find out more.

Environmental Justice Mapping Tools for NYS Communities (WEBINAR)
November 17: Join a free webinar about New York Sea Grant’s new Environmental Justice Mapping Tools guide. Register now.

Planning for Resilient Communities in the Midst of Pandemic, Social Justice and Climate Change Challenges (WEBINAR)
November 18: This webinar will integrate experiences from different contexts: the USA, Europe, and Latin America to exchange among planning practitioners lessons learned, strategies, and policies employed to cope with these compounding challenges. More details.

Workshop-Digital Communications: More Than Marketing (WEBINAR)
November 20: Does your organization have a marketing plan? Does it work? In this last of three programs, join Nicholas MacDonald, Communications Manager at Humanities New York, and guests who will look at the changing landscape of communication, best practices, and evaluation. More info.

The Quiet Dominance of Form: A Lecture by Christopher Rothko (WEBINAR)
November 22: Christopher Rothko will discuss an often-overlooked aspect of his father’s work–the primary importance of form. Learn more.

Better Public Engagement (WEBINAR)
November 24: This session explores innovative ways to better engage citizens while also advancing equity. Register now.

Talkin' Turkey, Five Rivers Environmental Center, Delmar, NY
November 27: Go for an informal walk around Five Rivers’ trails to learn about wild turkeys and other birds that call Five Rivers home. More details.

Hudson Valley Art Market, Locust Grove Estate, Poughkeepsie, NY
November 27-29: Shop local and discover a carefully curated selection of 30 local artists, artisans, and vendors. Read more.

Feed the Birds, Sam's Point Preserve, Cragsmoor, NY
November 28: Join a Sam’s Point Ranger to make a snack that will help energize the birds in your backyard as the colder weather sets in. Pre-registration is required by calling Sam’s Point at 845-647-7989. 

Autumn Walking Tour and Virtual Cooking Class, Olana State Historic Site, Hudson, NY
November 28: Families are invited to a post-holiday walk at Olana and a virtual healthy cooking class with The Sylvia Center! Find out more.
Heritage Spotlight: Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art

The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, located on the campus of the State University of New York at New Paltz, includes more than 5,000 works of art that range from 4,000-year-old pre-Columbian artifacts to contemporary paintings. A special emphasis is placed on works by artists who have lived and worked in the region, including those in residence at Woodstock’s Byrdcliffe Art Colony. The museum also has important holdings in Asian art, historic and contemporary photographs, and metalwork. Rotating exhibits from the collection are presented, along with temporary loan exhibitions that highlight the careers of under-recognized regional artists as well as Hudson Valley “masters.” With over 9,000 square feet of exhibition space, this is one of the largest museums within the SUNY system. The museum is now open for fall exhibitions through Sunday, November 22, 2020. Learn more.
Project Spotlight: Reservoir Capacity Analysis

The Village and Town of New Paltz received a Greenway Community Planning Grant to perform a Reservoir Capacity Analysis. In the watersheds current condition only about a weeks worth of water can be stored. The study was used to determine whether New Paltz should increase their water storage area permitted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation by using their upper reservoirs or invest in an additional water storage tank. New Paltz buys about 60 to 70 percent of all water used from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and the rest is locally sourced from the watershed, which fills up the reservoirs. If the Village and Town expanded their reservoirs then it could store more rainfall for water usage. The study also established daily water usage, storage, and treatment capabilities. Learn more about the Village and Town of New Paltz.
Switch to Rechargeable Batteries

Are you still using old-fashioned, single-use, alkaline batteries in devices like your TV's remote control? Try rechargeable batteries instead. You'll save money over time and help cut down on the billions of dollars worth of batteries sold each year in the United States, most of which never see a recycling facility. 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 Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area (HRVNHA) and applicants. Grants will typically range from $1,000 to $5,000. Grant program guidelines and applications are available on the HRVNHA'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 November 6, 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 HRVNHA are eligible to apply. For more information, please contact Dan Jeanson at daniel.jeanson@hudsongreenway.ny.gov or 518-473-3835.

TAT for Innovative Regional Wastewater Treatment Solutions Grant Pilot Program
The Technical Assistance and Training for Innovative Regional Wastewater Treatment Solutions (TAT/RWTS) Grant Pilot Program has been established for the study and design of innovative treatment solutions of regional wastewater systems for historically impoverished communities that have had difficulty installing traditional wastewater treatment systems due to to soil conditions. Deadline: November 4, 2020. Learn more.

IPM Partnership Grants
The Northeastern Integrated Pest Management Center announces the availability of funding through its IPM Partnership Grants Program. Up to $200,000 in total will be available for 2021, with a maximum of $50,000 per award, to fund projects that foster the development and adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) methods. The program supports three project types: IPM Applied Research, IPM Working Groups, and IPM Communications. Deadline: November 12, 2020. More info.

IMLS Inspire! Grants for Small Museums 
A special initiative of the Museums for America program. These grants are designed to help small museums implement projects that address priorities identified in their strategic plans. Inspire! has three project categories: Lifelong Learning, Community Anchors & Catalysts, and Collections Stewardship & Public Access. Deadline: November 16, 2020. More details.

NYSL Discretionary Grant Program for the Conservation and Preservation of Library Research Materials
This NYS grant program provides $500,000 each year for preserving materials in the collections of libraries, archives, historical societies and similar agencies. The grant awards for 2020-2021 will be limited to a minimum of $2,500 and a maximum of $40,000. For questions about the program, contact Barbara Lilley at  Barbara.lilley@nysed.gov. Deadline: November 20, 2020. Learn more.

RFP for NYS Canalway Water Trail Hand-Launch Guidelines
Request for proposals to produce illustrated guidelines for facilities to launch canoes, kayaks, and other small-craft, tailored to conditions on the NYS Canal System. These guidelines are intended to help communities plan and design facilities for hand-launch boats. Deadline: November 20. 2020. Find out more.

Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership
The Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP) is a voluntary program through which NRCS enters into agreements with eligible partners to leverage resources to carry out high priority wetland protection, restoration, and enhancement and to improve wildlife habitat. It is part of the Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) component of the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), a Farm Bill conservation program. Deadline: November 30, 2020. More details.

Collaborative Research Program
The Collaborative Research program aims to advance humanistic knowledge through sustained collaboration between two or more scholars. Collaborators may be drawn from a single institution or several institutions across the United States; up to half of the collaborators may be based outside of the U.S. The program encourages projects that propose diverse approaches to topics, incorporate multiple points of view, and explore new avenues of inquiry in the humanities. Deadline: December 2, 2020. More info.

Community Connect Program
The purpose of the Community Connect Program is to provide financial assistance in the form of grants to eligible applicants that will provide, on a “community -oriented connectivity” basis, broadband service that fosters economic growth and delivers enhanced educational, health care, and public safety benefits.
Deadline: December 23, 2020. Learn 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.

Farm to School Grants
The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) establishes a Farm to School Program in order to assist eligible entities, through grants and technical assistance, in implementing farm to school programs that improve access to local foods in eligible schools. Deadline: January 8, 2021. More details.

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.

Digital Humanities Advancement Grants
The Digital Humanities Advancement Grants program (DHAG) supports innovative, experimental, and/or computationally challenging digital projects at different stages of their lifecycles, from early start-up phases through implementation and sustainability. Deadline: January 15, 2021. Read 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: February 20, 2021. More info.

Center for Research on African American Children and Families RFP
The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is considering soliciting applications for a Center for Research on African American Children and Families, to lead and support research on the needs of African American populations served by ACF and promising approaches to promote social and economic well-being among low-income African American populations. Deadline: May 20, 2021. Learn more.

Artist Emergency Fund (Columbia and Greene Counties Only)
CREATE Council on the Arts is facilitating an emergency fund for artists living in our region (Greene and Columbia County) who have been financially impacted by the Coronavirus and require immediate support. Grants of $50 will be administered to artists who have lost income due to the virus in order to supplement costs of basic necessities including groceries and rent. Find out more.

Food Waste Reduction and Diversion Reimbursement Program
The Food Waste Reduction and Diversion Reimbursement Program is an innovative partnership between New York State and Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) focused on incentivizing the reduction of food waste in the state. The program provides reimbursement to New York State businesses, municipalities, or not-for-profits that generate, haul or recycle large amounts of food waste to offset the cost of select technologies and equipment that promise to reduce or divert that food waste from landfill or incineration. Grants will be awarded on a rolling basis. More details.

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.

Volunteer at Sheldrake Environmental Center
Meet at the potting shed Thursday afternoons (one time or many!) and help Sheldrake with various projects like removing invasive plants, clean-ups, gardening, and 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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