Eight grants awarded to strengthen park and trail groups
Parks & Trails New York has awarded eight Capacity Building Grants to provide not-for-profit park and trail organizations with the tools and expertise they need to survive and thrive in these challenging economic times. Funds will be used to increase organizational visibility and generate community support, grow membership, and attract additional volunteers.
Awards were granted to:
Friends of Robert Moses State Park Nature Center, Massena, St. Lawrence County - $2770 –fundraising initiatives and website and electronic newsletter design
Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx - $2500 – five community forums for residents to help define park projects and programming
Friends of Glimmerglass State Park, Cooperstown, Otsego County - $2400- marketing strategic plan and outreach materials
Hudson Valley Rail Trail Association, Highland, Ulster County - $2240 – web site redevelopment.
Friends of the Rail Trail, Delmar, Albany County - $2000 –membership/project information brochure for a newly-formed group
Trail Works, Inc. Williamson, Wayne County - $1850 –public programming and creation of presentations and displays for each of the county’s 15 towns
Hoosic River Watershed Association, Hoosick Falls, Rensselaer County - $880 – design and construction of a website for the Hoosic River Greenway
Friends of Great Bear Recreation Area, Fulton, Oswego County - $360 - printing of an informational and membership brochure
Parks & Trails New York received 76 applications from organizations located in 41 counties throughout the state. “The response we saw clearly illustrates how much these groups need and value this support. We are pleased that a generous private donor made it possible for us to offer this type of assistance which no other grant program provides,” said Parks & Trails New York Executive Director Robin Dropkin.
Parks & Trails New York Capacity Building Grants Program
Parks & Trails New York’s Capacity Building Grants program for park and trail groups provides grants of up to $3,000 to strengthen not-for-profit organizations that are working to build and protect parks and trails in communities across the state.
Through the new grant program, made possible by a generous donor, Parks & Trails New York intends to help New York not-for-profits better fulfill their missions; improve their reach, effectiveness, and impact; leverage more resources, and increase community support for and involvement in park and trail planning, development, and stewardship. Funds can be used to assist with activities associated with organizational start-up and development; training; communications; and volunteer recruitment and management.
While a number of grant programs are available to not-for-profits, they usually only fund capital projects and specific programs; they don’t help organizations develop and strengthen the skills, processes, and resources that they need to survive and thrive.
Hundreds of not-for-profit organizations are working to build, protect, and promote our state’s parks and trails, helping to provide not only places to engage in healthy physical activity and close to home recreation at a time of record gas prices but also additional tourist dollars to strengthen local economies. It’s amazing how much these groups accomplish with minimal resources and limited or non-existent staff. With this grant program, Parks & Trails New York hopes to propel their work to new levels and expand what they can accomplish so that they can become even stronger park and trail stewards and advocates.
ELIGIBILITY
Awards will be made primarily to local or regional organizations associated with a specific New York park or trail that is or will be open to the public. Organizations must be classified by the IRS as a 501 (c)(3) or operate under the fiscal sponsorship of a 501 (c)(3).
GUIDELINES
Grants will fund activities that help develop and strengthen the skills, processes and resources that not-for-profit organizations need to survive:
- Organizational start-up – e.g., incorporation, initial staff, equipment purchase
- Professional consulting services that aid organizational development – e.g., fundraising, communication, marketing, membership, strategic planning, financial management
- Board and staff training
- Volunteer recruitment, training and/or recognition program
- Communications – e.g., logo, website, newsletter, or other graphic design, development or enhancement; printing and distribution of brochures, newsletters or other communication tools
Grants cannot be used to fund:
- General operating
- Capital costs associated with construction and infrastructure for a park or trail
- Trailside or park amenities
- Endowments
- Lobbying or political activities
SELECTION CRITERIA
Awards will be made based on:
- Ability to initiate, grow, strengthen, or transform the organization
- Ability to leverage other opportunities, such as partnerships and funding sources
- Organizational commitment to the project
- Level of community support
- Demonstrated need
- Clearly articulated goals, tangible outcomes and well-defined measures of success
- Ability of the project to serve as a model for other groups
- Visibility – degree to which project will foster public use, appreciation, stewardship, and development of parks and trails
- If applicable, plan for sustainability after grant period ends
AWARD AMOUNTS
Grants will be awarded up to $3000.
GRANTEE REQUIREMENTS
All grantees will execute a signed contract with Parks & Trails New York prior to receiving an initial payment of 75% of the grant award. Grantees will be required to submit a brief, six-month progress update. The remainder of the grant award will be paid upon receipt of a final accounting and project report. All final reports will be due by January 29, 2010. Successful completion of funded projects and timely submission of reports will affect eligibility for future grant awards.
For more information, email grants@ptny.org or call 518-434-1583.
29 Elk Street * Albany, NY 12207 * (ph) 518-434-1583 * (fax) 518-427-0067 * ptny@ptny.org