adirondack region

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 ($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.

Allegany region

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.

CATSKILL REGION

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to improve accessibility and the visitor experience at the Catskills Visitor Center by replacing damaged and out-of-date signage, installing an informational kiosk and interpretive signage along the trail systems, and placing Adirondack chairs for visitors to utilize the space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.

GENESEE REGION

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 REGION

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 region

Friends of Gantry Plaza State Park ($9,357)

to purchase additional tables and umbrellas to expand seating to address increased need.

NIAGARA REGION

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.

SARATOGA/CAPITAL region

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.

TACONIC REGION

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.

Friends of Clermont ($111,027)

for programming and accessibility upgrades to the Visitor Services Area.

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.

Thousand Islands region

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.