News from the Friends of Reinstein

Friends of Reinstein Woods Receives Grant to Expand Fundraising Efforts and Support Long-Term Viability of Educational and Stewardship Programs

Friends of Reinstein Woods Receives Grant to Expand Fundraising Efforts and Support Long-Term Viability of Educational and Stewardship Programs

 Buffalo, NY – The Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and Parks & Trails Partnership Program has awarded Friends of Reinstein Woods a $47,411 grant to hire a Development Manager. Friends of Reinstein Woods, a non-profit support organization at Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve in Depew, raised an additional $16,803 in matching funds for a total of $63,214.

 The grant is one of 21 awards totaling $450,000 for organizations dedicated to the stewardship and promotion of New York’s State parks, historic sites, and land owned by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. The grants, funded through the EPF, will be matched by almost $200,000 in private and local funding. The Park and Trail Partnership Program grants are administered by the State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation and Parks & Trails New York, a statewide nonprofit group.

“The state’s investment in grassroots Friends Groups will complement Governor Cuomo’s extraordinary commitment to the revitalization of the entire state park system,” Parks and Trails New York Executive Director Robin Dropkin said. “These grant funds will enable groups to leverage more private and federal funding, marshal more volunteer power, and augment the state’s historic investment in parks. We look forward to seeing the transformational results from these innovative and important projects.”

“We are extremely excited about the opportunities this grant will create for Friends of Reinstein Woods as we move ahead with our strategic planning process!” Board President Terrence Boyle said. “This addition to our team will support the Friends continual efforts to introduce diverse groups to our environmental education environment which will in turn, benefit our entire community.”

Friends of Reinstein Woods is a volunteer-led, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting programs offered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at Reinstein Woods, a 292 acre environmental education center located in Depew. The Friends group provides financial and operational support for programs that connect youth, underserved neighborhoods, and the general public to nature. The Friends also supports the maintenance and preservation of the natural habitats at Reinstein Woods.

 With this grant, Friends of Reinstein Woods was able to hire a Development Manager whose primary responsibilities focus on cultivating a strong donor base and increasing fundraising efforts through corporate giving, foundation giving, and planned giving.

Hanna O’Neill, who has assumed this role, is excited about the opportunity to support the growth of Friends of Reinstein Woods and help foster improvements to the educational and stewardship programs that the organization offers. This position will allow Friends of Reinstein Woods to continue to expand outreach to underserved neighborhoods and increase environmental education throughout the community.

The Park and Trail Partnership Program grants are designed to:

• enhance the preservation, stewardship, interpretation, maintenance and promotion of New York State parks, trails, state historic sites and public lands;
• increase the sustainability, effectiveness, productivity, volunteerism and fundraising capabilities of not-for-profit organizations that promote, maintain and support New York State parks, trails, state historic sites and public lands; and
• promote the tourism and economic development benefits of outdoor recreation through the growth and expansion of a connected statewide network of parks, trails, greenways and public lands.

Parks & Trails New York is the leading statewide advocate for parks and trails, dedicated since 1985 to improving the health and quality of life of all New Yorkers by working with community organizations and municipalities to envision, create, promote, and protect a growing network of parks, trails, and greenways throughout the state for all to use and enjoy.

More information on the Park and Trail Partnership Program can be found at www.ptny.org or by calling 518-434-1583.