County awards nonprofits $2 million in grants to meet host of community needs

POUGHKEEPSIE — Dutchess County provided nearly $2 million in grants to 32 nonprofit organizations in the county in the last week of 2023.

Dubbed Agency Partner Grants, the program distributes funding to 501(c)(3) organizations on a biennial basis. The previous distribution, made at the end of 2022, totaled $1.5 million for 34 programs.

Last September, the county also distributed $1 million for six infrastructure projects associated with agencies currently funded under the APG.

Financial grants are provided based on an organization’s ability to “fulfill an unmet community need,” according to the county’s program description.

The 2024 allocation comprises $1.5 million in grants awarded under what is labeled the traditional APG program. An additional $484,880 in funds from the Department of Community and Family Services and the Department of Behavioral and Community Health were awarded through the APG competitive grant process to ensure critical services and programs are administered, according to the county executive’s office.

The APG program has been in existence for 12 years. The focus of its support has been to bolster funding for youth development, housing instability, workforce development, mental health and wellness, and literacy programs. Under the program, funds are provided on a biennial basis unless additional funds become available.

The work of the agencies funded in 2024 includes: providing help for students, parents and grandparents, such as assisting students with special needs, offering afterschool programs supporting academic, social and behavioral development, ENL (English as a New Language) for elementary students and promoting literacy, job skills training and 4-H youth development.

Funding also aims to address a wide range of community needs, such as homelessness prevention, senior nonemergency medical transportation,
initiatives to reduce recidivism, enhancing parenting skills, helping grandparents and other relatives caring for children, LGBTQ+ teen support and food, nutrition and health programs.

The following is a list of grants provided by Dutchess County:

Anderson Center for Autism** - $22,810 to support the Tik Talk program, which teaches social and friendship skills to middle and high school students with special needs to help navigate social situations and develop meaningful relationships at school and in community and work settings.

Boys & Girls Club of Newburgh, Inc.*** - $110,864 to continue implementation of a comprehensive afterschool program, Project Learn, formerly known as The Afterschool Project, which targets the academic, social and behavioral development of youth in the City of Poughkeepsie.

Catholic Charities Community Services of Dutchess County - $37,310 to provide a Homeless Prevention Case Management Program, which offers emergency rental assistance, financial literacy education, crisis intervention and comprehensive case management services to promote long-term housing stability for low-income families in Dutchess County.

Catholic Charities Community Services of Dutchess County - $33,928 to maintain its Senior Medical Transportation program, which promotes access to non-emergency medical care for seniors, who lack other means of transportation.

Community Based Services, Inc.** - $36,138 to support Transition Planning for Students with Disabilities, which educates parents and caregivers on available programs and resources for transitional-age students with disabilities who are aging out of school-based programs, as well as collaborating with schools to reach individuals who may benefit from participation in programs offered by local special needs agencies.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County - $75,715 to continue supporting 4-H Youth Development: Literacy Assistance for All, which prepares youth of all abilities with financial literacy, writing comprehension, public speaking and leadership skills to succeed as they transition into adulthood.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County - $116,485 to continue supporting Green Teen and No Child Left Inside: Developing Youth Potential Through Work-Based Learning, which broadens youth exposure to environmental science, provides outdoor workforce development opportunities, and promotes health outcomes.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County - $53,300 to continue supporting the evidence-based Parenting and Support Education (PASE) program, which enhances parenting skills by utilizing a hands-on learning approach suitable for all literacy levels.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County - $38,500 to support the Relatives As Parents Program (RAPP), which encourages, educates and supports grandparents and other relatives who have taken on the responsibility of surrogate parenting for parents who are unable or unavailable to care for their children.

CultureConnect - $31,309 to support CommunityConnect, an afterschool enrichment program for English as a New Language (ENL) elementary school students in Red Hook and Rhinebeck.

DAY ONE Early Learning Community, Inc.*** - $165,720 to support the Teacher Apprenticeship Program (TAP), which provides adults with hands-on workforce development training in early childhood education to produce workforce-ready educators upon program graduation.

Dutchess County Pride Center - $25,211 to continue the Teen Drop-In program to provide services year-round, giving LGBTQ+ teens access to affirming adults and safe spaces to increase self-esteem, lower anxiety, improve school performance and create greater community engagement.

Dutchess Outreach - $59,000 for food procurement to meet the increasing food access needs for individuals and families served through the organization’s food pantry and The Lunch Box community meal program.

Exodus Transitional Community* - $69,290 to support an evidence-based Reentry Work Readiness program that includes evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral change and social skills development curriculum, case management and job readiness skills training to post-incarcerated, safety net-eligible individuals to promote a successful transition to the community and reduce recidivism rates.

Family Services, Inc. - $47,970 for an afterschool Teen Resource Activity Center that provides mentoring, academic support, healthy living workshops and recreational activities for City of Poughkeepsie youth in a safe environment.

Hudson River Housing, Inc.*** - $118,477 to continue providing a Housing Navigator program to County residents with housing navigation and transition services, referrals and emergency rental assistance to prevent homelessness.

Hudson River Housing, Inc.*** - $68,819 to support the work of an outreach care manager through the Street Outreach Program, which will provide necessities and engage unhoused individuals throughout Dutchess County, especially in the City of Poughkeepsie, with a special focus on those suffering from behavioral health and/or substance use conditions, to enroll them in a suitable, supportive housing program.

Land to Learn - $53,300 to support SproutEd, a nutrition assistance program that engages elementary school students in the City of Beacon in nutrition, health, environmental stewardship and social-emotional, math, science and literacy skills, through hands-on experiential learning.

Literacy Connections - $42,859 to continue the Adult & Family Literacy program which promotes basic literacy skills for adults and children. Adult learners receive student-centered, one-on-one or small group tutoring lessons, while children are assigned a one-on-one book buddy, to promote basic reading and comprehension skills.

Mediation Center of Dutchess County, Inc. - $116,907 to fund an evidence-based Restorative Justice Initiative that works with schools in Dutchess County to address conflict and behavioral matters, while promoting pro-social outcomes in a diplomatic and non-punitive way.

NAMI Mid-Hudson, Inc. - $86,376 to provide mental wellness and mental health literacy to individuals affected by mental illness through the Family-to-Family program, as well as an informational seminar, both providing participants with information on the biology of brain disorders, an understanding of diagnoses, treatment options, crisis intervention techniques and available community support and referral options.

North East Community Center - $48,075 to continue the Community Partnership with Schools and Business program, a paid job skills training program for youths and young adults, where they acquire transferable work readiness skills and training to promote their successful transition to adulthood.

North East Community Center - $43,427 to implement a year-round Comprehensive Out of School Time program to provide afterschool and summer enrichment activities that will preserve socio-emotional and academic gains and mitigate summer learning loss for Webutuck Central School District students.

North East Community Center - $37,320 to provide a variety of nutritional Food Access Programs, including the Fresh Food Access Hub, two community gardens, a Summer Food Service Program and youth food access internship opportunities.

Nubian Directions II, Inc. - $45,309 to support the YouthBuild Innovation Lab, which provides hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) workshops and career education to City of Poughkeepsie youth to encourage critical thinking through creativity, risk-taking and innovation.

Poughkeepsie Farm Project - $38,429 to support Farm Fresh Home Chefs, a food access and healthy eating program for low-income Poughkeepsie families, which teaches families how to prepare balanced healthy meals.

Poughkeepsie United Methodist Church - $30,914 to support the Harriet Tubman Academic Skills Center, which provides academic and social support to promote educational and behavioral outcomes of underserved children in the City of Poughkeepsie.

Ramapo for Children** - $36,309 to expand the Staff Assistant Experience program to include day, evening and residential program services designed to assist youth with learning differences, attention difficulties and developmental disabilities in gaining social, vocational and independent living skills.

Reading & Math, Inc. - $68,700 to support its Early Learning Corps program, which provides supplemental literacy and numeracy whole-class, small group and one-on-one tailored tutoring services to prepare preschool-age children in the City of Poughkeepsie for success in kindergarten and beyond.

Red Hook Community Center, Inc. - $15,103 for a School Year Youth Employment program for youth and young adults in northern Dutchess County, providing opportunities for pre-employment and soft job skills training, including résumé writing, mock interviewing and financial literacy, as well as paid employment at a business within the local community.

Taconic Resources for Independence, Inc.**** - $44,200 to support Special Education Advocacy services for parents of children with special needs. The advocate will help parents navigate the special education system to ensure students have access to the support and accommodations necessary for them to achieve their fullest potential.

The Art Effect - $166,806 to support the afterschool and summer Youth Workforce Development in Arts & Media program that prepares City of Poughkeepsie youth for higher education and employment opportunities by providing arts-based curriculum, training and hands-on experience in media production and the visual arts.

*Awarded through APG, administered by the Department of Community and Family Services (DCFS).

**Awarded through APG, administered by the Department of Behavioral and Community Health (DBCH).

***Awarded through APG, funded and administered by DCFS.

****Awarded through APG, funded in part and administered by DBCH.