From Geneva and Penn Yan to Waterloo, Newark and Canandaigua, New York’s downtown revitalization programs have awarded millions of dollars for building renovations, housing, waterfront improvements and public spaces.
Another $200 million is now available through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward, with applications due Jan. 8, 2027.
Both programs fund a coordinated package of downtown improvements. Winning a community award begins a planning process in which residents, local leaders and project sponsors help identify investments for state consideration.
The distinction between the programs largely comes down to scale: DRI generally provides $10 million awards for downtown revitalization, while NY Forward serves smaller and rural downtowns with smaller awards and additional technical assistance.
How communities turn an award into projects
Under the state’s DRI selection process, communities apply through their Regional Economic Development Council. Applications are evaluated for the downtown’s potential for transformation.
Selected communities then develop a Strategic Investment Plan with state assistance and consultants. A Local Planning Committee oversees the effort, incorporating public input and evaluating proposed projects.
The plan recommends a package of investments that work together toward a downtown vision. That could include renovated commercial buildings, housing, cultural venues, streetscape improvements and better connections to parks or waterfronts.
State agencies select projects for funding from that plan. An idea appearing in an application or planning discussion does not automatically receive an award.
The state’s program guidebook also explains an important financial requirement: project funding is provided through reimbursement after eligible expenses are incurred, sometimes after an entire project is completed. Sponsors must demonstrate the ability to carry out their projects while awaiting reimbursement.
Other funding is encouraged, particularly for private projects, so state dollars can fill financing gaps and help attract additional investment.
NY Forward follows the same planning approach, adapted for villages, hamlets and smaller downtowns. It provides additional assistance to help communities develop applications and implement projects. The newly announced round offers two $4.5 million NY Forward awards in the Finger Lakes region. Some earlier rounds elsewhere included $2.25 million awards.
Every DRI winner in the state’s Finger Lakes region
New York’s funding boundaries differ from the broader geographic Finger Lakes. The official Finger Lakes economic development region includes Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates counties.
The regional council’s award history, supplemented by the latest state announcements, identifies these DRI winners through Round 9:
| DRI round | Winning municipality | County | Community award |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City of Geneva | Ontario | $10 million |
| 2 | City of Batavia | Genesee | $10 million |
| 3 | Village of Penn Yan | Yates | $10 million |
| 4 | Town of Seneca Falls | Seneca | $10 million |
| 5 | City of Rochester | Monroe | $10 million |
| 5 | Village of Newark | Wayne | $10 million |
| 6 | Village of Perry | Wyoming | $10 million |
| 7 | Village of Waterloo | Seneca | $10 million |
| 8 | City of Canandaigua | Ontario | $10 million |
| 9 | City of Batavia | Genesee | $10 million |
Rochester and Newark received separate $10 million awards during Round 5, when the state doubled that round’s funding.
Batavia’s Round 9 award was announced April 20, 2026, giving the city a second DRI award.
Together, those selections represent $100 million in community awards across nine municipalities. The figures describe awards, rather than money already spent or projects completed.
Every NY Forward winner in the state’s Finger Lakes region
Eight municipalities have received NY Forward awards through the program’s first four rounds:
| NY Forward round | Winning municipality | County | Community award |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Village of Geneseo | Livingston | $4.5 million |
| 1 | Village of Medina | Orleans | $4.5 million |
| 2 | Village of Webster | Monroe | $4.5 million |
| 2 | Town of Macedon | Wayne | $4.5 million |
| 3 | Village of Brockport | Monroe | $4.5 million |
| 3 | Village of Phelps | Ontario | $4.5 million |
| 4 | Village of Victor | Ontario | $4.5 million |
| 4 | Town of Irondequoit | Monroe | $4.5 million |
The state selected Geneseo and Medina in the first round, followed by Webster and Macedon in Round 2.
Brockport and Phelps won Round 3, while Victor and Irondequoit were announced alongside Batavia this year.
Those eight awards total $36 million, bringing combined DRI and NY Forward community awards in the official Finger Lakes funding region to $136 million.
Winners across the wider Finger Lakes area
Communities around the Finger Lakes also compete through the Central New York and Southern Tier economic development regions.
To include that broader geography, the following lists cover additional winners in Cayuga, Chemung, Cortland, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga and Tompkins counties.
| DRI winner | County | Round | Community award |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Elmira | Chemung | 1 | $10 million |
| City of Cortland | Cortland | 2 | $10 million |
| Village of Watkins Glen | Schuyler | 2 | $10 million |
| City of Auburn | Cayuga | 3 | $10 million |
| Village of Owego | Tioga | 3 | $10 million |
| City of Hornell | Steuben | 4 | $10 million |
| Village of Homer | Cortland | 6 | $10 million |
| Villages of Aurora, Cayuga and Union Springs, jointly | Cayuga | 7 | $10 million combined |
| City of Ithaca | Tompkins | 9 | $10 million |
The state’s records identify Elmira in Round 1, Cortland and Watkins Glen in Round 2, and Auburn and Owego in Round 3.
Later awards went to Hornell, Homer and the joint Aurora-Cayuga-Union Springs application. Ithaca received its award in April 2026.
The joint Cayuga County award is one $10 million allocation shared across three villages.
Additional NY Forward winners in those counties are:
| NY Forward winner | County | Round | Community award |
|---|---|---|---|
| Village of Moravia | Cayuga | 1 | $2.25 million |
| Village of Montour Falls | Schuyler | 1 | $4.5 million |
| Village of Waverly | Tioga | 1 | $4.5 million |
| Village of Groton | Tompkins | 2 | $4.5 million |
| Town of Urbana and Village of Hammondsport, jointly | Steuben | 2 | $4.5 million combined |
| Village of Bath | Steuben | 3 | $4.5 million |
| Village of Dryden | Tompkins | 3 | $4.5 million |
| Village of Marathon | Cortland | 3 | $4.5 million |
State announcements document Moravia’s $2.25 million award, the Montour Falls and Waverly awards, and the Groton and joint Urbana-Hammondsport awards.
Bath and Dryden were selected in Round 3, as was Marathon.
What communities need for the next round
The new funding announcement opens DRI Round 10 and NY Forward Round 5.
Applications are available through the state’s Consolidated Funding Application portal and are due Jan. 8, 2027, at 4 p.m. An application webinar is scheduled for Nov. 5, with a recording to be posted afterward.
Municipalities must meet the state’s Pro-Housing Community requirements to qualify.
For residents and property owners, the opportunities extend beyond the initial application. Once a community is selected, public workshops and project solicitations help shape its investment plan. Participation at that stage can influence which buildings, public spaces and connections become priorities for funding.
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