NY FORWARD
About NY Forward
Learn more about the NY Forward program and planning process!
NY Forward Overview
NY Forward (NYF) was launched in 2022 to support a more equitable downtown recovery for New York’s smaller communities, with a focus on hamlets, villages, and neighborhood-scale commercial centers. Through NY Forward, smaller communities have the opportunity to receive planning and implementation support needed to attract and support businesses, residents, and visitors and enhancing quality of life for the community.
Similar to the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), the NYS Department of State administers the Governor’s NY Forward Program in close coordination with HCR, ESD, NYSERDA, and several other State partners.
NY Forward Goals
1
Enhance downtown living and quality of life
2
Create an active downtown with a mix of uses
3
Provide a diverse mix of employment opportunities
4
Create diverse housing options for all incomes
5
Provide public spaces that serve all ages and abilities
6
Encourage the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
7
Grow the local property tax base
NY Forward Process for Awarded Communities
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Transparent, open, and ongoing public engagement is a critical component of the NY Forward planning process and the development of the SIP (Strategic Investment Plan). Public engagement shall occur throughout the entire NY Forward planning process to ensure community needs, opportunities, and challenges are identified, to determine potential projects, and to ensure the NY Forward revitalization efforts are supported.
DOWNTOWN PROFILE AND ASSESSMENT
The downtown profile and assessment shall provide a clear, concise, and compelling narrative that articulates the story of the region and the downtown area and describes the future of the area and region. The profile and assessment should allow the reader to understand why this downtown will benefit from the NY Forward and provide a logical basis for the projects recommended for NY Forward funding.
COMMUNITY VISION, GOALS AND REVITALIZATION STRATEGIES
Informed by the community’s NY Forward application and community input, the Local Planning Committee (LPC) will develop a vision statement with corresponding goals and revitalization strategies to guide decision-making about future development and investment in the NY Forward area. The vision statement is intended to be ambitious as well as illustrative of the community’s vision for the future, which will be advanced through the implementation of NY Forward projects.
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
Forward projects can emerge from various sources - the community's application, an Open Call for Projects, public engagement, or during the planning process itself. Consultant teams will collaborate closely with project sponsors and the LPC to develop and refine proposed projects. The LPC will recommend a final slate to the State for funding consideration. These projects aim for positive, transformative impacts on the NY Forward community, blending public and private sponsorship. Detailed project descriptions will form a major part of the SIP. The LPC will select the final slate based on public input, priorities, and state-mandated evaluation criteria.
STRATEGIC INVESTMENT PLAN
The goals of the NY Forward should be reflected in the Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) developed for each community and the projects identified in each plan. The SIPs, which will be prepared by the consultant teams, are a compilation of the required deliverables from the previous steps in the process. Each SIP will describe the unique challenges and opportunities for revitalization of the NY Forward area, present the community’s vision for the future of the area, and propose transformative projects that may be realized with an investment of NY Forward funds.
NY FORWARD TIMELINE
Planning Process
May - November 2025
NY Forward Grant Awards Announced
Project Implementation
Spring 2026
2026-2030