7 Organizations Get Grants To Support Projects In Hudson Valley

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Seven nonprofit organizations in the Hudson Valley received grants from the state's Park and Trail Partnership Grants program to support projects involved with stewardship of state parks, trails, historic sites and public lands.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday $900,000 to support 30 organizations, seven of which are in the Mid-Hudson Region.

"New York's beautiful state parks, trails, public lands and historic sites offer world-class outdoor recreational opportunities that continue to support tourism and grow local economies," he said.

The grants will help bolster efforts for these groups to build a better state parks system for generations to come, Cuomo said.

The organizations in the Mid-Hudson Region are:

• Calvert Vaux Preservation Alliance, $36,000: To contract the services of a communications and development specialist who will establish critical communications and development infrastructure to engage professional staff, expand public and private constituencies and fundraise for capital projects and public programs.
• Fort Montgomery Battle Site Association, $33,300: To repair and make safe the trail in the western portion of Fort Montgomery State Historic Site, which is part two of a two-phase project.
• Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct, 24,875: To expand successful outreach and community engagement in underserved and diverse communities by retaining a part-time outreach coordinator to increase awareness about the Aqueduct and enhance the capacity of the Friends.
• Friends of Rockefeller State Park Preserve Inc., $60,000: To rehabilitate the historic Overlook Trail carriage road in the Swan Lake section of Rockefeller State Park Preserve.
• Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association, $75,000: To repair and repave one of the oldest sections of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail which is part of Taconic State Park.
• Little Stony Point Citizens Association Inc., $13,500: To increase access, stewardship and environmental education opportunities by making the trail to the Little Stony Point overlook more accessible.
• Walkway Over the Hudson, $64,996: To fund a position to oversee its successful Summer Walkway Ambassador Program, a youth employment program, and to assist with on-bridge operations, events and management of the new East Gate Plaza.

Grants are administered in partnership with the not-for-profit advocacy group Parks & Trails New York. Recipients must raise outside funding of at least 10 percent of the grant amount received.