POUGHKEEPSIE … Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino has announced more than $2 million has been awarded to 27 non-profits through the 2026 Dutchess County Agency Partner Grant (APG) program. The APG program provides two-year grants for programs that address specific community needs, including youth supports, mental health, literacy, nutrition, transportation and workforce development, among others.
Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said, “We are proud to collaborate with so many dedicated non-profit partners throughout Dutchess County to address important needs in our community. Their hard work, ideas and real understanding of our community needs make them great partners as we pool our resources through the Agency Partner Grant and tackle the challenges people are facing. By working together, we can make a real, lasting difference and help Dutchess County become an even stronger and more supportive place for everyone.”
The APG program is a competitive grant process run by the Department of Planning & Development for local 501(c)(3) non-profits. Every application is reviewed by the County’s volunteer Community Development Advisory Committee, which then makes final recommendations to the County Executive for approval.
For 2026, $1.5 million in grants have been awarded under the traditional APG program with an additional $502,583 coming from the Department of Community & Family Services (DCFS) and the Department of Mental Health (DMH).
Projects funded through the 2026 Agency Partner Grant Program include:
Abilities First, Inc.* - $44,779 to reprise the Teaching Kitchen, which provides hands-on cooking and life skills education for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Astor Services for Children & Families* - $54,405 to support the Dutchess County Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program, which is an intensive treatment program designed to keep youth, ages 11-18, with mental health and behavioral needs in the community by preventing unnecessary inpatient hospitalizations. The program utilizes an evidence-based practice, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, to teach skills needed to reduce high risk behaviors and prevent out-of-home placements.
Boys & Girls Club of Newburgh, Inc.** - $115,343 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, Inc. - $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, Inc. - $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.
Center for Justice Innovation - $45,000 for the Families First Court Initiative, based in Dutchess County Family Court, which aims to assist youth and their caregivers through a multi-disciplinary approach involving evidence-based interventions and specialized, trauma-informed support to keep court-involved adolescents in family settings versus congregate care and to help prevent future involvement in the court system.
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 - $69,779 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: Youth Vocational Training, 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 continue supporting 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 - $25,972 to support CommunityConnect, an afterschool enrichment program for English as a New Language (ENL) elementary school students in Red Hook.
DAY ONE Early Learning Community, Inc.** - $166,314 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 - $21,779 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.
Family Services, Inc. - $50,000 for Youth Thrive, an after-school and summer program focusing on advancing mental wellness for City of Poughkeepsie youth through mentoring, academic support, healthy living workshops, individual therapy and recreational activities in a safe environment.
Greystone Programs, Inc.* - $44,329 for Supported Employment (SEMP) which expands opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to achieve and maintain competitive, integrated employment in Dutchess County. Participants receive individualized support in the areas of career exploration, resume and interview preparation, job development and matching, employer outreach, and on-the-job coaching to support retention.
HONOR EHG, Inc. ** - $100,000 to support the Street Outreach Program which will identify, engage and assist individuals experiencing homelessness in care coordination, social and behavioral health supports, and emergency shelter, to achieve long-term, stable housing.
Land to Learn - $53,300 to continue supporting 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.
Mental Health America of Dutchess County, Inc.** - $99,926 to support the work of a coordinator through the Street Outreach Program, which will provide for streamlined integration and management of street outreach activities for improved tracking and linkage of care for unhoused individuals throughout Dutchess County. Services also include screening, housing navigation, and health-related social needs referrals.
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, Inc. - $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, Inc. - $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, Inc. - $37,320 to provide a variety of nutritional Food Access Programs, including the Fresh Food Access Hub, a community garden, a Summer Food Service Program and youth food access internship opportunities.
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. dba Ampact - $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 DMH
**Awarded through APG, funded and administered by DCFS
***Awarded through APG, funded in part and administered by DMH
