This spring, the Tompkins County chapter of the Sustainable Finger Lakes Neighborhood Mini-Grant program expanded to include Cortland and Cayuga counties, becoming the Cayuga and Owasco Watersheds chapter. The April 2026 round of grants to simple projects by local residents will build community resilience and environmental stewardship through food gardens, wild plant management, and waste reduction initiatives.
Cayuga Climate Action received a grant to market their fourth annual Community Styrofoam Drop-off event collecting clean white polystyrene foam from households throughout Cayuga County and rent U-Haul transportation for bringing the foam to a specialized recycling facility.
The Cayuga Meadows Community Gardeners, residents of the Conifer Village at Cayuga Meadows senior apartment complex in Ithaca, received a grant for a retractable hose reel and raised bed to make for safer and easier tending of their community vegetable garden.
The Commonland Community Residents Association, residents of the Commonland Community condo complex in Ithaca, received a grant for a weed wrench to remove invasive plants from their wooded property adjacent to the Six Mile Creek Natural Area through volunteer events in collaboration with local organizations.
The Dryden Central School District received a grant for metal dining utensils for the Elementary School cafeteria, replacing the continual purchase and disposal of single-use plastic utensils.
The Family Reading Partnership received a grant to buy used children’s books for distribution throughout Tompkins County by their Bright Red Bookshelf program, supplementing their fluctuating supply of donated books.
The Newfield Public Library received a grant to host a Textile Care & Repair workshop series teaching techniques to prolong the usability of sweaters, leather goods, and other clothing.
Ris Pareti, an individual starting a small farm near Enfield, received a grant to create a “Giving Grove” nursery of fruit trees, shrubs, and perennials grown from seed in air-prune beds and given away to neighbors and others in the farming and agroforestry communities.
The Good Neighbor Grocery, a locally-sourced grocery store and cafe in Groton, received a grant to buy dispensers for bulk sales of liquid cleaning and cooking supplies.
The Village at Ithaca received a grant to buy a tool shed and a water tote for a new memorial garden in downtown Ithaca, which will be built, maintained, and visited by local youth.
Since 2008, the Neighborhood Mini-Grant program has awarded over $100,000 in over 250 grants to initiatives building local resilience, equity, and environmental stewardship. A chapter serving Schuyler, Seneca, and Yates counties launched in Fall 2025, and planning is underway for a chapter serving Chemung, Steuben, and Tioga counties. The program is sponsored by the Park Foundation, Craig Riecke, Applied Energy Services (AES), and local donors.
