Parks & Trails New York (PTNY) and the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), have announced the third round of $500,000 in competitive grants through the NYS Park and Trail Partnership Program funded through the NYS Environmental Protection Fund.

The grants are available to organizations that support parks, trails, historic sites and public lands, and are administered by PTNY, in partnership with OPRHP. This year, for the first time, grants will also be available to organizations that support public lands managed by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

The program is designed to enhance the preservation, stewardship, interpretation, environmental education, maintenance and promotion of New York State parks, trails, historic sites, and public lands; increase the sustainability, effectiveness, productivity, volunteerism and fundraising capabilities of not-for-profit organizations that promote, maintain and support NYS parks, trails, historic sites and public lands; and promote the tourism and economic development benefits of outdoor recreation through the growth and expansion of a connected statewide network of parks, trails, greenways, and public lands.

Applications are due December 8, 2017. Grant awards are expected to be announced in March 2018. The Park and Trail Partnership Program is open to organizations whose primary mission is the preservation, stewardship, interpretation, environmental education, maintenance and promotion of a specific New York State park, trail, historic site or public land under the jurisdiction of OPRHP or DEC. More information about the grant program and its timeline are available here.