Town of Cortlandt New York Forward (NYF)

The New York Forward Initiative or NYF is a New York state-funded grant program that gives communities $4.5 million dollars to bring life to the types of downtowns found in villages, hamlets, and other small neighborhood-scale municipal centers. Round 8 of the program is now open with a grant deadline of October 18, 2024.  Each of the State’s ten Regional Economic Development Councils (REDCs) will have the option of recommending two communities for $4.5 million NY Forward awards to develop a downtown strategic investment plan and implement key projects that advance the community’s vision for revitalization.

The Town is applying for a New York Forward Grant for the Montrose Hamlet.  On September 30, 2024, the Town of Cortlandt conducted a public workshop about the New York Forward Program and the Town's application process (see video below).  The public workshop was intended to provide the public with the opportunity to:

  • Contribute to the development of the downtown vision.
  • Identify needs, opportunities, and potential projects — such as improved public transportation, increased access to affordable childcare, or new retail spaces to diversify the downtown’s current offerings.
  • Review preliminary list of projects to be included in the application and propose additional ideas.

A slideshow was presented at the workshop describing the New York Forward Program and identifying potential New York Forward projects in the Montrose Hamlet.

PLEASE NOTE: The projects proposed for the Montrose Hamlet in the Powerpoint presentation are CONCEPTUAL ONLY. The renderings shown are intended to conceptually demonstrate the types of projects that could support the enhancement of the Montrose Hamlet and provide economic growth. In the NYF application, applicants are expected to demonstrate their readiness and capacity to identify and implement a slate of synergistic projects that collectively achieve a community-based vision for the downtown. The State’s Regional Economic Development Councils (REDCs) review applications and nominate winners to the Department of State (DOS) for final review and approval. If the Town is awarded NYF funds the state will then assign the Town a consulting team to guide the community through the process of developing a Strategic Investment Plan that will identify multiple complementary projects for the Hamlet. The plan and the projects identified will be driven by both a Local Planning Committee (LPC) and extensive community outreach and engagement. The Local Planning Committee would be comprised of a group of local and regional leaders that represents the community's interests and priorities in the New York State New York Forward Program. The LPC is a key partner in the DRI program, along with state agency staff and a consultant team. The LPC guides a six-month planning process that links a community's goals and strategies to specific projects that can revitalize downtown areas. Once the Plan is approved, DOS and an expansive team of agency/partners assist the Town with project implementation.  

For more information about the NYF program, click here. 

This is the link for the click here button above https://www.ny.gov/programs/ny-forward