Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board

06/21/2026

AI is coming to the Southern Tier.

Join us on June 24 for two free sessions featuring leading artificial intelligence experts from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and practical strategies for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and economic development professionals.

☕ AI as a Tool for Small Business
9:30–11:00 AM | Houghton University
Register before June 23: https://bit.ly/aihouhgton

🍽️ AI as a Tool for Economic Development
12:30–2:00 PM | Olean Business Development Center
Register before June 23: https://bit.ly/aiolean

Both events are free. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Please share with anyone who may be interested. And we hope to see you there.

Thank you to the International Economic Development Council, PathStone, RVER, Olean Business Development, and Springboard NY for making these events possible.

05/26/2026

05/26/2026

BIG NEWS for Our Region: Climate Smart Communities Grant – Round 9 is Coming!

The NYS DEC Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Grant Program is gearing up for Round 9 through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) — and this year brings a game-changing expansion you need to know about!

NEW THIS YEAR: Indian Nations Are Now Eligible!
Thanks to recent updates to NYCRR Part 492, Indian Nations are now directly eligible to apply for CSC grant funding — a historic expansion of the program! This means tribal communities across New York State can now access funding to tackle climate change head-on, right in their own communities.

What's Available?
✅ $10,000–$200,000 for Climate Smart Certification projects
✅ $50,000–$2,000,000 for Implementation projects
✅ Projects must address greenhouse gas reduction or climate adaptation

Who Can Apply?
✔️ Counties, Cities, Towns & Villages
✔️ Indian Nations (NEW!)
✔️ Local Public Authorities (NEW!)
🔔 You do NOT need to be a Certified Climate Smart Community to apply!

📅 Round 9 CFA expected to open soon — stay tuned for the official deadline announcement!

🤝 Southern Tier West Regional Planning & Development Board is here to help! We assist municipalities and eligible entities throughout our region in navigating the application process.
📧 Contact us at [email protected]

04/30/2026

Early bird pricing ends May 3. Get your tickets now and mark June 9 on your calendar for a full-day of dynamic speakers, networking, discussion, and more. Retool '26 sponsored by our friends at Jamestown Board of Public Utilities

Explore the latest in energy innovation and meet clean energy innovators. Learn how AI is being used successfully in manufacturing and more.

04/27/2026

The Allegany County Planning Board is sponsoring an upcoming training session on Open Meetings May 20, 2026. Doors open at 4:30PM. Pizza and soda will be provided. Session is scheduled for 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM. The County Planning Board regular meeting will follow at 7PM if you are interested in observing that also. Please RSVP directly to me by May 19th so we order enough and have correct # of handouts. This session is aimed at Town and Village Clerks, Trustees, Town Board members, Planning Board members, Zoning Board members, County Legislators or others in local government that need to better understand the open meetings laws. See the attached pdf or image files for the flyer. Feel free to share with your colleagues on any of these boards.

04/16/2026

Trails and greenways are vital connectors between people and communities. The social, health, environmental, and economic impacts of trail use by local residents and tourists multiply boundlessly. Southern Tier West is happy to be in a room filled with stakeholders and planners from all regions of WNY to plan for a future of connectivity and positive impacts. Parks & Trails New York

04/08/2026

Southern Tier West staff are always thrilled to share information about our programs, services, and impact in the tri-county region. Kimberly LaMendola, our Regional Economic Development Manager, recently presented on the resources available through STW and our loan program called STEDO, to help area businesses start, expand, and diversify. STW's programs and assistance services are part of the larger web of integrated entrepreneurial ecosystem assets. Thank you ACCORD Corporation for your continued partnership and positive impacts.

Big shoutout to Kimberly LaMendola for bringing her expertise to our ACCORD spring business training! 🌟Kim is the Regional Economic Development & Food Systems Coordinator for Southern Tier West RPDB and Administrator of Southern Tier Enterprise Development Organization. She shared valuable insights on our region, highlighted local resources, and provided helpful information about opportunities through STEDO.

We’re grateful for your time, knowledge, and commitment to strengthening our local economy and supporting small businesses across our community.Thank you for being part of this work! 💚

04/07/2026

April 15th, more than just taxes are due!

The deadline for the first round of Community Fund applications is Wednesday, April 15.

Community Fund grants support 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations serving Cattaraugus County to fund innovative projects. School districts, universities and government organizations and religious institutions are also eligible to apply, as long as the request meets a charitable purpose.

Apply at: https://www.cattfoundation.org/grant-seekers/grant-opportunities/

04/07/2026

Don't miss the brown bag - information sessions happenning in a space near you!

03/31/2026

Visit our website https://www.southerntierwest.org/arc-funding.html for more information. Please be aware that we are in the process of updating our process to match changes at the federal level and some of the information and processes will be changing within this next month.