New York's 500-mile-long system of navigable waterways plays a central role in the economic and social fabric of more than 200 communities that are home to 70 percent of upstate New York residents.
The Erie Canalway Heritage Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works together with the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Commission to ensure that the Canalway maximizes its potential as an economic, recreational, environmental, and historic asset for New York State, its residents, and visitors from across the country and world.
Our Mission
Our Work
As a nonprofit, the Heritage Fund secures private and public financial support that is critical to Canalway programs and initiatives. Since its establishment in 2006, the Heritage Fund has supported historic preservation, recreational opportunities, conservation, education, economic development, and community engagement along the 500-mile Corridor and its communities.
Key Focus Areas:
Our Impact
Highlights of our 2023 impact include:
- Strengthened local economies by supporting events that brought 86,000 attendees to 35 community events.
- Motivated 1,754 individuals, teams, and organizations to achieve their fitness goals while exploring the Canalway Corridor with our Canalway Challenge program.
- Educated 3,389 students from 29 school districts—80 percent of those low-income districts—through dynamic in-person educational experiences.
- Provided thousands of teachers and students with access to no-cost classroom curriculum, 3D tours, and other online tools through our new Erie Canal Learning Hub.
- Engaged NYS Canalway Water Trail Stewards in 984 hours of service and care for 270 miles of the NYS Canalway Water Trail.
Financial Accountability
We strive for transparency and are happy to provide our donors and volunteers with information about how their valuable dollars are used to enact our everyday mission.