May 24, 2023, Cooperstown, NY- The Village of Cooperstown was selected by the Mohawk
Valley Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) to receive a $4.5 million award from
New York State through the NY Forward (NYF) program. Investment from this program will
allow Cooperstown to develop a Strategic Investment Plan and implement key catalytic projects
to advance a community vision for downtown improvements. Projects selected for funding will
transform the community and support a vibrant local economy.
The Local Planning Committee (LPC) is co-chaired by Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh and REDC Member
Ken Meifert and consists of twelve other members representing a diverse array of the
Cooperstown community. Their first meeting will be held on May 24, 2023 from 4:30-6:30 pm
at Village Hall and is open to the public. This meeting will be streamed on the Village’s YouTube
channel. The six-month process to develop the Strategic Investment Plan will include two
separate Community Meetings to gather input from Village residents and at least one
additional outreach session at a to-be-determined community event.
More information can be found at: https://www.cooperstownny.org/new-york-forward/
NY Forward 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. NY Forward is led by the Department of State, in close partnership with
Empire State Development, NYS Homes and Community Renewal, and New York State Energy
Research and Development Authority. For more information, please visit
https://www.ny.gov/programs/ny-forward.
