Hudson River Valley Greenway Announces $636,000 Available for Planning and Trails Grants

The Hudson River Valley Greenway today announced a total of $636,000 is available through three Hudson River Valley Greenway Grant Programs. For 2021, a total of $136,000 is available for Planning and Compact Grants and $500,000 is available for Trail Grants. For 2021, applications are due by close of business on May 7, 2021, September 10, and November 8, 2021. Grant program guidelines and applications are available on the Greenway website at: https://hudsongreenway.ny.gov/grants-funding .

The Hudson River Valley Greenway Grant Program provides approximately $136,000 in funding to participating Greenway Communities to further a regional planning strategy consistent with the five Greenway criteria: regional planning, natural and cultural resource protection, economic development, public access, and heritage and environmental education. Greenway Planning Grants are open to municipalities that have adopted a local board resolution to become a designated Greenway Community. Greenway Compact Grants are open to municipalities that have adopted an approved Greenway Compact Plan. These matching grants fund have been awarded to projects including comprehensive/master planning, open space inventory/preservation, natural resource inventory/preservation, and cultural resource and economic development. The maximum grant award for single community projects for both of these programs is $10,000. Cooperative multi-community proposals may be funded at higher rates.

The Greenway Trail Grant Program offers approximately $500,000 in funding for land/water trail construction, planning and design, rehabilitation, amenities, and interpretation. There will be $50,000 designated for water trail projects along the Hudson River Greenway Water Trail, a National Water Trail. Municipalities and not-for-profit organizations within the designated Hudson River Valley Greenway area and who do not have a currently open grant in this program are eligible to apply. These grants are funded by the state’s Environmental Protection Fund. The maximum amount awarded for a land trail grant are construction--$70,000, planning and design--$40,000, rehabilitation or improvements--$20,000, and interpretation--$10,000. For a water trail grant the maximum amount awarded are construction--$25,000, rehabilitation or improvement--$10,000, and interpretation--$10,000.

On December 31, 2020, New York State announced completion of the Empire State Trail, now the nation's longest multi-use state trail. The trail spans 750-miles, from New York City through the Hudson and Champlain Valleys to Canada, and from Albany to Buffalo along the Erie Canal. The Greenway Conservancy Trail Grant Program prioritizes links from existing Greenway Trails to the Empire State Trail.

The Hudson River Valley Greenway was established by the Greenway Act of 1991 to continue New York State’s commitment to the preservation, enhancement and development of the world-renowned scenic, natural, historic, cultural and recreational resources of the Hudson River Valley, while continuing to emphasize appropriate economic development activities and remaining consistent with the tradition of municipal home rule.  The Hudson River Valley Greenway also manages the federally designated Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area.

Visit www.hudsongreenway.ny.gov for more information on the Hudson River Valley Greenway

 Visit www.hudsonrivervalley.com for more information on the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area