OPRHP Awards More Than $28 Million for Recreation, Historic Preservation and Trail Projects Through the 2025 Regional Economic Development Council Initiative

 

Matching grants help local governments and not-for-profits improve parks, historic properties, and heritage areas 

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announced that more than $28 million has been awarded to support 64 recreation, historic preservation and trail projects through the 2025 Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) initiative. A full list of 2025 REDC awards that have been made can be found here.  

"These grants will help advance Governor Hochul’s goals to more New Yorkers to ‘Get Offline, Get Outside’ and take part in healthy recreation,” Executive Deputy Commissioner Tom Alworth said. “Local governments and community organizations will use these grants to protect the environment, expand access to outdoor recreation, celebrate our whole history and promote regional tourism throughout the state. Our agency looks forward to working with the grant recipients to make these exciting projects a success."

The awards include $25.4 million from the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) to support 49 projects, such as park improvements, heritage area enhancements and historic preservation projects. Additionally, the awards include $3.3 million from the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) to support 15 projects. In New York State, both the EPF and RTP are administered by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). 

The EPF Grant Program for Parks, Preservation and Heritage supports matching grants for the acquisition, planning, development, and improvement of parks, historic properties, and heritage areas located within New York. Funds are awarded to municipalities or not-for-profits with an ownership interest. The maximum award for EPF in this year’s grant cycle was $675,000. 

The RTP Grant Program supports matching grants to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both motorized and non-motorized trail uses. The RTP is an assistance program with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration. The maximum award in this year’s grant cycle was $300,000. 

For more information about grant programs administered by OPRHP, visit here.   

Funding for the programs was included in the 2025 Regional Economic Development Council Initiative. The REDC process continues to support and empower regional stakeholders in developing strategic plans and funding priorities that meet local economic needs. Regional Councils reviewed projects from this program and provided scores that reflect how well a project aligns with a region’s goals and strategies. Applicants utilized New York’s Consolidated Funding Application, the state’s single application for state resources, which includes programs for numerous agencies. It is designed to provide expedited and streamlined access to a combined pool of grant funds and tax credits from dozens of existing programs. 

About the Consolidated Funding Application

The Consolidated Funding Application was created to streamline and expedite the grant application process. The CFA process marks a fundamental shift in the way state resources are allocated, ensuring less bureaucracy and greater efficiency to fulfill local economic development needs. The CFA serves as the single-entry point for access to economic development funding, ensuring applicants no longer have to slowly navigate multiple agencies and sources without any mechanism for coordination. Now, economic development projects use the CFA as a support mechanism to access multiple state funding sources through one application, making the process quicker, easier, and more productive. Learn more about the CFA here.

About the Regional Economic Development Councils

The Regional Economic Development Council initiative is a key component of the State’s approach to State investment and economic development. In 2011, 10 Regional Councils were established to develop long-term strategic plans for economic growth for their regions. The Councils are public-private partnerships made up of local experts and stakeholders from business, academia, local government, and non-governmental organizations. The Regional Councils have redefined the way New York invests in jobs and economic growth by putting in place a community-based, bottom-up approach and establishing a competitive process for State resources. Learn more at regionalcouncils.ny.gov.