New York State’s two signature Downtown Revitalization and Economic Development programs have awarded $1.2 billion in funding to 151 communities to date.
This year, $200 million in funding is available through the State’s two signature downtown revitalization and economic development programs—$100 million each for Round 9 of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and Round 4 of the NY Forward program, which focuses on revitalizing smaller and rural downtowns.
Applications are now available through the State’s Consolidated Funding Application Portal. The deadline to apply is November 7, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.
Technical Assistance Sessions for Greene County Municipalities are available by calling 518-719-3290.
To receive DRI or NY Forward funding, localities must either have a Submitted Letter of Intent or be Pro-Housing Certified prior to application, and be fully certified prior to Award Announcements
Downtown Revitalization Initiative
The Downtown Revitalization Initiative was launched in 2016 to accelerate and bolster the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods in all ten regions of the state to serve as centers of activity and catalysts for increased local investments. Led by the Department of State (DOS), DRI communities benefit from partnerships with and coordinated technical assistance provided by the Department of Housing and Community Renewal (HCR), Empire State Development (ESD) and the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA). The DRI represents an unprecedented and innovative “plan-then-act” strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate and ongoing implementation. For DRI Round 9, joint applications of two to three contiguous communities in the same REDC region with a single unified vision will be accepted.
To date, DRI has awarded a total of $900 million to 91 communities in its first eight rounds and invested in the creation of over 4,500 new housing units. It is estimated that every dollar invested in the DRI generates $3 in additional investments as the revitalization accelerates and projects are completed. This catalytic effect will continue well after DRI and NY Forward communities complete all their projects.
NY Forward
First announced as part of the 2022 budget, Governor Hochul created the NY Forward program to build on the momentum created by the DRI. The innovative program, which is funded at $100 million in this year’s Enacted State Budget, supports a more equitable downtown recovery for New York’s smaller and rural communities with a focus on hamlets and villages. NY Forward is meant serve smaller communities and support local economies that often have a feel and charm that is distinct from larger, metropolitan urban centers funded through DRI. To date, NY Forward has awarded a total of $300 million to 60 communities over three rounds.
Like DRI, DOS and an assigned consultant will work with NY Forward communities through a planning and technical assistance process to develop a slate of readily implementable projects. NY Forward differs, however, by providing one-to-one technical assistance from consultants to assist communities in developing their full applications and throughout the implementation process. NY Forward offers two $4.5 million awards for each region. Recognizing the unique scale and density of New York City neighborhoods, New York City NY Forward funding is being combined with NYC DRI funding to permit one $20 million DRI award.
The similarities and differences between the DRI and NY Forward programs are further described in an educational brochure, which is available on the DRI and NY Forward websites.
