Western New York Trail Town Grants

Western New York Trail Town Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Parks & Trails New York
Amount: US $3,000 - US $15,000
Last Updated: March 16, 2026

Summary

Overview

Parks & Trails New York Founded in 1985 by a group of passionate park advocates who believed New York’s magnificent state park system merited its own advocacy group, PTNY’s purview quickly grew to include trails, outdoor recreation, active transportation, and bicycle and pedestrian issues. Over its tenure, PTNY has successfully prevented the closure of over 100 sites during a critical budget crisis, championed the effort to close gaps in the Erie Canalway Trail, and developed the foundational concepts for the Empire State Trail (EST). Through grants and grassroots support, we’ve directed $10 million to community groups and engaged over one hundred thousand volunteers, ensuring cherished public spaces thrive. Today, these efforts contribute to the remarkable success of nearly 88 million park visits and nearly 10 million annual users on the nation-leading Empire State Trail. Western New York Trail Town Grants Background Administered by Parks & Trails New York (PTNY), and with generous funding provided by the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, PTNY will offer $60,000 in competitive grants to support a broader initiative aimed at boosting local economies by leveraging visitation to nearby public lands. The grants can be used to promote place-making efforts, improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, and implement community-driven projects that prioritize active transportation alternatives for cyclists and pedestrians. Matching Funds Trail Town Grants require a local match of at least 10% of the total project budget (not the ask). The entire match may be from in-kind sources (volunteer labor, donated materials, etc.) or may be supplemented by cash. The amount funded through this project must be no more than 90% of the total project budget.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Municipalities and non-profits residing within the following counties are eligible to apply for a Trail Town Grant: Allegany, Chautauqua, Genesee, Niagara, Wyoming, Cattaraugus, Erie, Monroe, Orleans, Livingston. If an applicant is not affiliated with the Genesee Valley Trail Town Program or Empire State Trail Towns, an applicant must be able to successfully demonstrate that work has been completed or is underway, to support communities residing along either the Empire State Trail or Genesee Valley Trail corridors in the abovementioned counties, with a specific focus on enhancing access to outdoor recreation, improving bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and fostering local economic growth by leveraging outdoor recreation assets (goals often attributed towards a "Trail Town" program). Applicants must meet the following requirements: An applicant must be a corporation formed pursuant to or subject to the NYS Not-for-Profit Corporation Law.An applicant must be classified by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization or have a Memorandum of Understanding with a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt fiscal agent.For all applicants intending to undertake a project on property belonging to the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, the applicant will need to enter a partnership agreement with Parks. If the organization is a 501c3 or other non-profit, they will also need to show proof of insurance ($2 million aggregate). Like the State, municipalities are self-insured and therefore will not be required to show proof of insurance. The partnership agreement may take a few weeks to process. We do not require that the agreement is in place before the grant request is submitted, but the agreement must be in place before any work can be done.For applicants intending to undertake a project on property belonging to the New York State Canal Corporation (NYSCC), applicants are required to follow NYS Canal Corporation and/or Empire State Trail and Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) design guidelines for wayfinding signs and trail amenities. NYSCC reserves the right to review and comment on any infrastructure or signage produced through the grant. Projects such as interpretive signs and murals must receive written approval on final designs by the NYSCC during the design stage prior to final design and production. Eligible communities Village of BrockportCity of LockportTown of Wheatland/Village of ScottsvilleTown/Village of AvonTown of YorkTown/Village of GeneseoTown/Village of PerryTown/Village of Mount MorrisTown/Village of NundaTown of HumeTown of CaneadeaTown of BelfastTown/Village of Cuba