Orange County Open Space Fund

How it works

Orange County’s Open Space Fund 2026 provides matching support for projects that protect open space within the county’s jurisdiction. The program is intended to fund fee simple acquisitions, development rights purchases, conservation easement purchase prices, and related closing or stewardship costs.

The county says the fund was created to help implement recommendations in the Orange County Open Space Plan, the Orange County Comprehensive Plan, and the Orange County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Plan. The program has application and approval procedures, plus specific criteria for evaluating proposed projects and guidelines for the maintenance and monitoring of open space land acquired with program financing.

What the money covers

The page says the fund supports:

• Fee simple acquisition
• Development rights purchases
• Conservation easements
• Closing costs
• Stewardship costs

The page also notes that applicants may pair OSF awards with state and federal grant programs to cover the remaining share of project costs.

Amounts and matching

• Matching support up to 50% of the purchase price
• Award cannot exceed 50% of appraised value

How to apply

Applications are submitted to the Orange County Department of Planning.

Submissions must include:

• One original application
• One digital copy of the application
• All materials described in the program guidelines

The county also provides a program flyer, program guidelines and evaluation criteria, a fall 2026 application, an owner authorization form, a budget worksheet, an application checklist, an application help sheet, a model resolution, and a Q&A document.

Timing and deadlines

Applications are reviewed in two cycles: Spring and Fall.

The Fall Cycle is open, with a deadline of September 25, 2026 at 4:00 PM.

Other notes

The county encourages applicants to explore state and federal funding partners early to build a complete and competitive funding package. The page lists examples including NYS DEC Open Space Conservation Grant Program, NY Dept. of Ag & Markets Farmland Protection Implementation Grants, Source Water Buffer Program, US DOT Transportation Alternatives Program, USDA Watershed Protection & Flood Prevention Operations, and USDA Emergency Watershed Protection.