Gowanus Canal Conservancy Gets $130K Grant

GOWANUS, BROOKLYN — The Gowanus Canal Conservancy has won $130,000 to go toward its land use and investment efforts, a grant organization announced last week.

The New York Community Trust announced that it gave $4.8 million to 46 projects throughout the city as part of its grant program to "improve the lives of New Yorkers across all of the city's boroughs."

One of those grants went to the Gowanus Canal Conservancy, which advocates for the stewardship of the waterway and its watershed area. Its $130,000 contribution will be used to ensure that land use decisions and public investments in the area reflect the needs of community members, the organization said.

“Many of the challenges New York faces aren't easy to fix,” says Shawn Morehead, vice president for grants at The Trust. “Addressing issues like climate change and equity in our schools requires long-term investment and a willingness to attack the problem from all angles.”

The conservancy was one of several Brooklyn organizations that were on the Trust's list of funded projects.

Others included $80,000 to the Brooklyn Community Pride Center, $87,000 to the Regional Plan Association and $100,000 to the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center.

The Brooklyn Community Pride Center will use its grant to expand a program that helps unemployed gay, lesbian, and transgender young people with employment opportunities.

The Regional Plan Association said it will put the grant towards its ongoing efforts to connect Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx with light rail service.

"Improving public transit for lower-income neighborhoods: New York’s Manhattan-centric approach to public transit makes it difficult for residents in low-income neighborhoods and for low-wage workers outside of Manhattan to commute," the trust said about the project in a release.

The Callen-Lorde Community Health Center will use its funds to help its gay, lesbian, and transgender-focused health center expand into Brooklyn.