CAZENOVIA — The Cazenovia Area Community Development Association (CACDA) has announced that the Village of Cazenovia is joining this year’s competition for New York State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) program, and community input is needed to complete the application.
Each year, the DRI awards one community in each region of the state a $10 million grant to transform their downtown. The goal is to increase walkability, redevelopment, business vitality, and economic and housing diversity in New York’s downtowns.
Cazenovia is in the Central Region; if selected, the village will undertake a year-long public process to determine the final projects.
CACDA and the village are currently soliciting ideas from the community to complete the DRI application.
The village and the Madison County Planning Department will present a public open house in the Cazenovia Public Library Community Room on Monday, Sept. 16 from 5 to 8 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the projects proposed for inclusion in the application and provide feedback and ideas.
According to CACDA’s Aug. 19 press release, a survey will be available soon for community members to provide additional input.
“According to the DRI website, ‘The DRI represents an unprecedented and innovative “plan-then-act” strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate implementation,’” said CACDA Executive Director Lauren Lines. “Applicants are required to propose synergistic projects that collectively achieve a community-based vision for the downtown. Community input is needed to develop that community-based vision as the foundation for the application.”
For more information, visit cacda.net/dri.html. Contact Lines at [email protected] or Village of Cazenovia Trustee Jen Lutter at [email protected] with questions or ideas.
Funding opportunity for local businesses
Cazenovia area small businesses could be eligible for up to $35,000 in micro-enterprise grant funding through the NYS Office of Community Renewal.
According to an Aug. 22 press release, CACDA is partnering with Madison County and the Partnership for Community Development to provide grant funding for new and expanding small businesses with five or fewer employees — including the owners — in Madison County.
“The business must be owned by a low-to-moderate income person or must create at least one full-time equivalent job made available to low-to-moderate income individuals,” the press release states. “The funding received must be matched by a minimum of 10 percent owner equity.”
The deadline to apply is Sept. 30, 2024.
“CACDA has always been committed to helping the small businesses, which are foundational in our community,” said Lines. “We understand the challenges inherent to running a small business in a rural area. Grants such as this help to catalyze new or expanding enterprises.”
Visit cacda.net for a link to the application or contact Lines at [email protected] for more information.
CACDA is an independent, not-for-profit community-based organization that works to enhance economic vitality and preserve the rural, historic character of the region through education, consensus-building, and project implementation.
