The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation working in partnership with The Landmark Society of Western New York announced the availability of the Genesee Valley Rural Revitalization Grant Program to support rural communities in the Finger Lakes and Western New York.
This funding is made possible by a grant received from the Paul Bruhn Rural Revitalization Grant Program as administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, and will allow OPRHP and LSWNY to offer reimbursable sub-grants for historic building repair and rehabilitation in small rural communities located in eligible counties. Matching funds have been provided by the Rochester Area Community Foundation, Letchworth Gateway Villages, and LSWNY. This program will support local governments, non-profit and commercial property owners, and small businesses in their efforts to preserve the historic places that have shaped their community’s social fabric and economy.
“A community’s historic resources are tremendous assets to tap into heritage tourism opportunities, which is why we feel incredibly grateful to the National Park Service to help us offer these funds to property stewards located in the Genesee Valley,” said Erik Kulleseid, Commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. “Small businesses, non-profits, and municipalities have suffered during the pandemic. Our goal is to see these funds used as a tool to assist with local recovery.”
“We are thrilled to partner with NYS Parks to assist with offering this important funding for rural rehabilitation projects in our most treasured Genesee Valley Communities,” said Wayne Goodman, Executive Director of the Landmark Society of Western New York, “and we are grateful to the National Park Service for recognizing the value of preserving some of our most historic communities.”
This GVRR grant program will be administered by OPRHP and LSWNY. Applications will be available through the Landmark Society of Western New York in early-January 2021. The program will include two grant rounds with application deadlines of March 31, 2021 and September 30, 2021 respectively. For more information on the grant program, contact Megan Klem, Preservation Planner, at [email protected] or visit www.landmarksociety.org/GVRR.
Webinars will be hosted on January 28, 2021 at 3:30 p.m. and February 9, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. Register online at www.landmarksociety.org/GVRR.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].