The New York State Canal Corporation, through the Reimagine the Canals initiative, and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor offer competitive grant funding to support tourism and recreation along the New York State Canal System.
The program provides funding to support tourism infrastructure and amenity improvements, and events. Grant funding is open to counties, municipalities, units of local government, not-for-profit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes.
2023 Grant Recipients Announced
The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and the New York State Canal Corporation are pleased to announce that 42 non-profit organizations and municipalities will receive NYS Canal System Tourism Infrastructure and Event Grants totaling $190,000 in 2023. The grants will support seven tourism infrastructure and amenity improvements and 35 events along canal waterways and the Canalway Trail.
Recipients are spread across the Erie, Oswego, Cayuga-Seneca, and Champlain canals. Infrastructure and amenity projects include kayak storage and paddling launches, picnic facilities, restrooms, and park upgrades that better accommodate people with disabilities. Events range from large canal festivals to bike tours to arts and cultural offerings that will contribute to a lively season of activities.
Now in its second year, the grants program represents a significant investment in canal recreation and tourism. Grants range from $500 to $24,000 and will leverage an estimated $438,775 in additional support.
Fill out an online application through the grants portal.
Award Range:
$5,000 to $24,000
Award Range:
$500 to $3,000
Projects submitted should demonstrate how they will achieve one or more program objectives:
- facilitate recreation and/or tourism
- enhance visitor amenities and/or improve the visitor experience
- encourage overnight stays
- celebrate the history, heritage, or culture of the canals
- make recreational and tourism assets more accessible for all ages and abilities and expand audiences served
- improve and/or promote connectivity between recreation areas and communities or between waterways and land trails
TIMELINE
Application Opens: January 9, 2023
Information Session: January 26, 10am
Applications Due: February 24, 2023
Awards Announced: May 2023
Next round of funding in 2024
January 26, 2023
