The Town of East Fishkill is applying for Round 4 of NY Forward.
What is NY Forward?
Governor Hochul announced the creation of the NY Forward (NYF) program to invigorate and enliven downtowns in New York’s smaller and rural communities—the type of downtowns found in villages, hamlets and other small, neighborhood-scale municipal centers. NY Forward’s goal is to boost local economies by funding public and private projects that transform neighborhoods into “vibrant places where the next generation of New Yorkers will want to live, work and raise a family.”
NY Forward:
- Is intended to invigorate and enliven downtowns that are smaller or more rural than their surrounding region
- Focuses on hamlets, villages, and neighborhood-scale municipal centers
- Aims to attract more businesses, residents, and visitors to these smaller downtowns, while also providing a higher quality of life for residents
NY Forward is led by the Department of State, in close partnership with Empire State Development, NYS Homes and Community Renewal, and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
What is the proposed NY Forward area?
The proposed area focuses on the Hamlet of Hopewell Junction.
How to Participate
Review Workshop Materials
A community workshop was held on October 23, 2025.
We welcome feedback on the Vision Statement and ideas for Transformative Project Opportunities.
Take the NYF Community Survey
This survey will be open from October 16th through October 26th.
Email us!
Send a note to EastFishkillPlan@gmail.com
What Does the Application Include?
The application will describe the area, past investment, and the potential for revitalization.
The application will be submitted on November 7th.
What Comes Next?
Two $4.5 million awards are made within each of the New York State’s Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) regions. The Town of East Fishkill is located in the Mid-Hudson Region.
Anticipated in early 2026, NY Forward Round 4 awards will be announced on a rolling basis.
Beginning in Spring 2026, the selected communities will work with DOS and an assigned consultant through a planning and technical assistance process to develop a Strategic Investment Plan.
The process will refine the vision for the NYF area, develop actionable goals and strategies, and identify readily implementable transformative projects, based on community outreach and input. That Strategic Investment Plan forms the foundation for immediate and ongoing project implementation.
NY Forward awards will be used to implement the most transformative projects from the Strategic Investment Plan. Additional projects may be implemented through the CFA or other funding sources.
