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Open Space Committee approves $80,000 trails grant pool and 25% local match for 2026
Summary
On March 3, 2026, the Saratoga County Open Space Committee set the 2026 trails grant allocation at $80,000 and approved a 25% local‑match requirement for applicants, citing the need to fund a countywide trails master‑plan update and encourage municipal investment. Applications are due June 18, 2026.
The Saratoga County Open Space Committee on March 3 approved a pair of changes to the 2026 trails grant program: it reduced the grant pool from $100,000 to $80,000 and established a 25% local match for applicants.
County staff said the reduction preserves funds to support a countywide trails master‑plan update and related work. Jason, the staff presenter, told the committee the county administers the New York State snowmobile grant for five clubs and that the county manages roughly 180 miles of trails. He said the county will use part of this year’s budget to help underwrite an update to the countywide trails plan.
Committee members debated how large a match small towns could sustain. One member urged caution, saying smaller municipalities face tighter budgets and a large match could deter applications. Another member argued a match creates “skin in the game” and can speed project completion. "At least go for the 10%" one committee member said as a starting compromise; the committee settled on 25% for 2026 and asked staff to monitor how towns respond.
The committee also approved program timelines and award mechanics: awards are expected mid‑summer, with an 18‑month completion window for projects and a completion date to be included in the resolution and contracts. Staff clarified that applications will be due June 18, 2026, and that awardees will usually have until late December (the resolution language referenced a December 27 completion date) to finish work or request extensions from the committee.
Bill Herman, chair of the countywide trails committee, urged the county to prioritize trunk lines — including the Zim Smith Trail and the Champlain Canal Trail connections — and proposed restoring the grant program to $150,000 in future years with scoring preference for projects that link to those trunk lines.
What happens next: staff will finalize the resolution language to reflect the $80,000 allocation and 25% match, publish the amended grant application with a June 18 deadline, and return award recommendations to the committee after the application cycle.
Source: Saratoga County Open Space Committee meeting, March 3, 2026. Quotes and assertions in this article are attributed to speakers recorded in the committee transcript.
