Ulster County Department of Economic Development Director Dennis Lynch presented the department’s 2025 priorities and funding pipeline to the Ulster County Legislature’s Economic Development, Planning, Education, Employment, Arts and Agriculture Committee on July 1, highlighting ARPA-supported agriculture programs, a new revolving loan fund and several state grant awards.

“This presentation is very timely,” Lynch said as he opened the department overview, adding the department is focused on “foundation building” and on tactical steps to move strategic plans into funded projects.

Lynch described the department’s staffing and recent hires and said new capacity will support programs tied to the county’s ag and climate plans and workforce development initiatives. He listed funding sources the department uses: revolving loan funds, Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), New York State Empire State Development (ESD) grants, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocations and partnerships with community development financial institutions (CDFIs).

On grants and awards, Lynch told the committee the county secured multiple ESD and CDBG awards, including funds tied to projects at IPARK 87 under the Restore New York Communities Initiative (listed in the presentation as $1,010,000,000), a $1,600,000 award for the Pine Hill Wellington Hotel rehabilitation and $840,000 for the Barrel Factory mixed-use project in Kingston. He also said CDBG funds — $68,000,000 in the presentation — were allocated for equipment purchases at Hudson House.

Lynch reviewed ARPA-funded programs the department is administering. He said the county designated $2,000,000 for agriculture relief; that funding has supported equipment purchases through partners such as Hudson Valley Agribusiness Development Corporation and county soil-and-water programs. He said another $2,000,000 is designated for a “Boost for Main Street” program to help localities with planning capacity so they can access additional state or federal capital.

On small-business support, Lynch presented a $300,000 Entrepreneur Employment Program offering microgrants and training for businesses with fewer than five employees; grants would range from $5,000 to $35,000 and include a required business-plan training component. He also described a newly capitalized $1,500,000 revolving loan fund for projects in the $25,000–$150,000 range; loans would be co-lent with banks or other lenders and can be part of larger financing stacks.

Lynch described several sector initiatives: a county cannabis initiative (engaging consultants to study “regional regenerative cannabis” and potential branding for growers), an Agribusiness Accelerates feasibility study being submitted to the state Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) to assess venture-style private funding for ag-focused R&D facilities, and a planned Hemp Cottage Industry Conference in October in collaboration with Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Lynch also summarized tactical partnerships — UCEDAR (the county’s economic development corporation, which Lynch said his office administratively supports), tourism, planning, environment, the Industrial Development Agency (IDA), Cornell Cooperative Extension, Hudson Valley Venture Hub, Hudson Valley Agribusiness Development Corp (a CDFI), Brico and other regional groups — and emphasized professional development, customer-relationship management tools and business-asset mapping as internal priorities.

When Legislator Stewart asked for an update on IPARK 87 and whether housing was still under consideration, Lynch declined to provide specifics in the committee presentation but said the department is “diligently looking at all of the opportunities, whether it’s housing, whether it’s manufacturing” and offered to provide details in a separate briefing.

Committee members did not take formal votes on Lynch’s presentation; subsequent agenda items included grant-authorizing resolutions and capital project amendments recorded elsewhere on the agenda.

The department presentation is scheduled to return for follow-up discussions and to coordinate related presentations from the IDA and Cornell Cooperative Extension in coming committee meetings.