Highest Private and Public Funding Allocation for the Program's 10th Anniversary
Builds on Governor Hochul's efforts to encourage New Yorkers to “Get Offline, Get Outside”
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announces $2.25 million in grants to 27 not-for-profit organizations to support the stewardship of state parks, trails, historic sites and public lands. Park and Trail Partnership Grants (PTPG) help partner organizations leverage private funds to support capital projects, engage in maintenance and beautification, provide educational programming, and host special events that promote public use of the parks.
“This innovative grant program helps enhance the incredible work done at the grassroots level by the partner organizations that help look after our state parks, historic sites, trails and public lands,” New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Acting Commissioner Kathy Moser said. “I am grateful to Governor Hochul’s ‘Get Offline, Get Outside’ initiative that supports this vital partnership with Parks & Trails New York and our many statewide partners, friends’ groups, and volunteers. This collective effort helps ensure the continued success of our parks and historic sites. I look forward to seeing how this investment expands access and strengthens connections to New York State’s extraordinary natural and historic resources.”
The Park and Trail Partnership Grants program is funded through the New York State Environmental Protection Fund and 2026 marks its 10th anniversary. Grants are administered in partnership with the not-for-profit advocacy group Parks & Trails New York. Recipients must raise outside funding for a match of at least 10 percent of the grant amount received.
This new round totals the highest amount awarded in the program’s history and will leverage over $800,000 in private funds. Since the first round, awarded in the spring of 2016, over 90 organizations have received more than $10 million to aid in their missions to steward, promote, and enhance New York’s diverse state parks, historic sites, and public lands. The program has supported 272 remarkable projects including 27 career-building, permanent positions that exist because this funding made them possible.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “Governor Hochul recognizes the value of partnerships in protecting and enhancing New York's unique lands and accessible outdoor recreation areas. These Park and Trail Partnership Grant recipients and the many other volunteer-driven organizations working in our communities are amplifying conservation and education efforts that are crucial to providing New Yorkers with opportunities to get outdoors and connect with nature.”
The following projects have been awarded Park and Trail Partnership Grants:
NORTH COUNTRY
Adirondack Architectural Heritage ($28,825) for the completion of a Cultural Landscape Report for the Great Camp Santanoni Historic Area.
Adirondack Mountain Club ($80,000) for an Interpretive Facilities Educator position that will engage visitors in safety and rescue prevention conversations, communicate rules and regulations for recreation on state lands, and support ADK's overarching mission.
Cranberry Lake Mountaineers Snowmobile Club, INC ($143,500) to purchase equipment to make their network of trails safer and more accessible for various recreational activities, such as hiking, biking, wildlife viewing, primitive camping, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and horseback riding.
John Brown Lives! ($77,550) to hire a Director of Development and Communications to lead a sustainable fundraising strategy that secures long-term growth and will strengthen capacity to support the John Brown Farm State Historic Site and ensure its continued use as a vital site of conscience and human rights destination.
Friends of Higley Flow State Park ($40,389) to purchase a tracked UTV and a grooming drag implement to improve conditions for classic and freestyle cross-country skiing and snowshoeing recreation on the trail network at the park.
Winona Forest Recreation Association ($23,549) to provide a dynamic outdoor classroom designed to enhance learning with interactive stations.
WESTERN NEW YORK
Chautauqua County Equestrian Trail System, Inc. ($206,975) to provide environmentally friendly, sustainable trail rehabilitation to protect the wetland habitats of local species and diversify users in North Harmony State Forest.
IMPACT: Friends Improving Allegany County Trails, Inc. ($28,800) to hire an Administrative Coordinator as the first paid staff person to provide critical logistical support, allowing the organization to grow beyond what is possible for an all-volunteer organization.
Friends of Knox Farm ($151,205) for the reconstruction of the historic stable’s roof and cupola and refurbishment of the adjoining concrete pad that is essential to preserving the building’s architectural integrity, ensuring public safety, and enabling continued educational and cultural programming.
MID-HUDSON
Bannerman Castle Trust ($27,450) to connect the historic "Red Trail" to "The Grotto" to the "Wee Bay" facilitating access for all visitors, especially those who are mobility impaired.
Calvert Vaux Preservation Alliance ($19,800) to hire temporary staff to support ongoing capacity building work by hosting a series of public tours and talks to increase visibility and engagement with Vaux’s work and The Point.
Catskill Center ($31,033) to improve accessibility and the visitor experience at the Catskills Visitor Center by replacing damaged and out-of-date signage, installing an informational kiosk and interpretive signage along the trail systems, and placing Adirondack chairs for visitors to utilize the space outside of regular hours.
Friends of Fahnestock and Hudson Highlands ($77,950) to preserve and restore an historic 1874 one-room schoolhouse for transformation into an interpretative Visitor Center, providing a window into late 19th to early 20th century way of life.
Friends of John Jay Homestead ($36,868) to enhance the fundraising and development capacity of the Friends in preparation for its 2028 reopening by overhauling its strategies and modernizing donor systems.
Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association ($263,132) to construct an ADA-compliant boardwalk along an environmentally sensitive section of trail that is part of the eventual 46-mile regional rail trail system.
Walkway Over the Hudson ($62,350) to design a system of interpretive and wayfinding signage to replace outdated, degraded signs that will enhance the visitor experience by improving accessibility, supporting inclusive storytelling, and encouraging learning through a holistic signage plan grounded in universal design principles.
FINGER LAKES
Friends of Hamlin Beach State Park ($135,000) for phase 2 facility upgrades of the interior to a unique and historic hexagon building to provide a multi-use gathering space that will meet the needs of the Friends and Parks programming staff.
Friends of Letchworth State Park ($91,535) to preserve the Council House and Nancy Jemison Cabin at the Council Grounds by procuring and facilitating the installation of historically correct roofing and creation of a brochure to better share the history of the Council Grounds area.
LONG ISLAND
Caumsett Foundation, Inc. ($100,000) to restore the historic Fresh Pond Trail following a 2022 erosion study. The project aims to redirect damaging foot traffic from fragile hillsides onto the repaired historic trail, using stepped walkways, drainage systems, and an accessible path.
Friends of Orient Beach Inc. ($18,000) for capacity building of the organization including strategic planning, board recruitment and development, fundraising, branding and marketing, communications, community outreach and awareness, membership, and mission focused programs.
Planting Fields Foundation ($69,913) for a Service-Learning Corps that will engage three cohorts of young adults in mission-critical projects pairing hands-on stewardship with structured learning, strengthening participants’ skills and sense of belonging while delivering visible public benefits at Planting Fields and cultivating future civic leaders.
NEW YORK CITY
Friends of Gantry Plaza State Park ($9,357) to purchase additional tables and umbrellas to expand seating to address increased need.
CAPITAL DISTRICT
Friends of Clermont ($111,027) for programming and accessibility upgrades to the Visitor Services Area.
Friends of Five Rivers ($140,000) to hire an Advancement Officer to cultivate strong donor connections and leverage customer relations management to ensure the long-term sustainability and expanded impact of the vital environmental education programs, professionalize fundraising efforts, diversify revenue streams, and secure the financial health needed to meet increasing community demand.
Friends of Moreau State Park ($55,491) to enhance an accessible and inclusive trail by installing signs with printed/raised text and Braille, tactile elements for images of the respective subjects, and audio descriptions of their content to educate and inform people of all abilities about the park’s woods and lake.
Friends of Thacher Park ($190,000) to transform the interior exhibits at the Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center after 25 years of programming and public engagement. The proposed upgrades will introduce educational innovation and enhanced accessibility to galvanize increased participation and reach broader audiences.
Wilton Wildlife Preserve ($31,900) to expand environmental education opportunities to the community through an internship program that hires, trains, and mentors emerging professionals from traditionally underserved constituencies.
The grant program builds on Governor Hochul's efforts to encourage affordable outdoor recreation. The Fiscal Year 2026 Budget provided the funding for this round of the Park and Trail Partnership Grants program, as part of a record $425 million Environmental Protection Fund to support climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, improve agricultural resources to promote sustainable agriculture, protect our water sources, advance conservation efforts, and provide recreational opportunities for New Yorkers. The Governor's new Unplug and Play initiative also earmarked $100 million for construction and renovation of community centers through the Build Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids and Seniors (NY BRICKS), $67.5 million for the Places for Learning, Activity and Youth Socialization (NY PLAYS) initiative helping New York communities construct new playgrounds and renovate existing playgrounds; and an additional $90 million for the continuation of the NY SWIMS initiative.
Parks & Trails New York is the leading statewide advocate for New York's parks and trails, working with grassroots groups for over 40 years to strengthen public-private partnerships and improve New Yorker's health, economy, and quality of life through the use and enjoyment of green space. For more information, visit www.ptny.org.
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