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The Cayuga County village is among the inaugural winners of a NY Forward grant, a program to support downtown revitalization projects in smaller communities.Ìý

Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez, whose agency oversees the NY Forward program, announced the awards at the Center for the Arts in Homer. The event was held there because the Cortland County village won the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative award — the same grant the city of Auburn won in 2018.Ìý

The NY Forward program is similar to the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Rodriguez explained that a separate grant was established after receiving feedback from towns, villages and other smaller municipalities that they "may need something a little bit smaller, maybe right-sized for the projects they have." 

The 2022-23 state budget included $100 million for the NY Forward program. Each of the 10 regional economic development councils could select either two winners, with both receiving $4.5 million awards, or three recipients — one for a $4.5 million grant and two $2.25 million prizes.Ìý

In central New York, there were three winners: The village of Phoenix in Oswego County will get $4.5 million. The village of Hamilton in Madison County, along with Moravia, will each receive $2.25 million.Ìý

"It's all of these communities coming together that create a strong central New York," Rodriguez said.Ìý

Moravia was one of four Cayuga County villages to apply for the NY Forward grant — Aurora, Cayuga and Union Springs were the others. Mayor Gary Mulvaney told мÓƶà¶à¿ª½±¼Ç¼ that village staff worked on the application alongside the Cayuga County Department of Planning and Economic Development. A committee was formed to collect feedback and representatives from the county and village met with local business owners.Ìý

The product of that work was a $6.5 million plan and 18 proposed projects, half of which would either renovate or restore nine buildings on Main Street in the village. Other projects include improvements to Ethel Fuller Park, providing broadband service in public areas and the creation of a history trail.Ìý

When Mulvaney learned Moravia was one of the winners, he was pleasantly surprised.Ìý

"This is unbelievable," he said. "Who the hell thought you were going to get it? But boy, it's really great that we did. It's going to be great for the community, obviously."

In a statement, the Cayuga Economic Development Agency praised Moravia for winning the NY Forward grant and the Cayuga County Department of Planning and Economic Development for its work in support of the village's application. CEDA also encouraged other villages to apply for funding this year — if the program is included in the final state budget.Ìý

"The CEDA team looks forward to helping Moravia's vision come to fruition," the agency said.Ìý

Cayuga County Legislature Chairman David Gould, who also attended the ceremony in Homer, called the award "one of the best things that ever happened to southern Cayuga County." He lauded the county's Department of Planning and Economic Development for their work on the application and believes Mulvaney and village leaders will use the funding to improve Moravia.Ìý

Gould hopes it is not the last NY Forward grant for a village in the county. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who successfully advocated for the creation of the program in the 2022-23 budget, requested a second round of NY Forward awards in the upcoming 2023-24 fiscal year.Ìý

"I hope they all get it," Gould said, "but this is a start."