ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – The Hudson River Valley Greenway announced on Wednesday a total of $636,000 is available through 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.

Grant program guidelines and applications are available on the Greenway website and deadlines vary.

The Hudson River Valley Greenway Grant Program provides funding for regional planning strategies consistent with the five Greenway criteria: regional planning, natural and cultural resource protection, economic development, public access, and heritage and environmental education.

Here’s how the programs break down:

• Greenway Planning Grants are open to municipalities that have adopted a local board resolution to become are a designated Greenway Community
• Greenway Compact Grants are open to municipalities that have adopted an approved Greenway Compact Plan.
• The Greenway Trail Grant Program offers $500,000 in funding for land/water trail construction, planning and design, rehabilitation, amenities, and interpretation. The maximum amount awarded for a land trail grant is $70,000 for construction, $40,000 for planning and design, $20,000 for rehabilitation or improvements, and $10,000 for 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 currently have an open grant in this program are eligible to apply. For a water trial grant, the maximum amount awarded is $25,000 for construction, $10,000 for rehabilitation or improvement, and $10,000 for interpretation.

These grants are funded by the state’s Environmental Protection Fund. Governor Cuomo’s proposed 2021-22 Executive Budget includes record funding for the EPF at $300 million.

The maximum grant award for single community projects for both the Planning Grants and Compact Grants is $10,000. Cooperative multi-community proposals may be funded at higher rates.

In addition to the above grants, there is an ongoing program of federally funded Heritage Development Grants available from the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area (NHA). These grants are intended to provide money to organizations for programming, interpretation, and marketing. Approximately $20,000 is available for this grant program. These grants are typically capped at $5,000 per award.