Friends-to-Friends Workshops

Parks & Trails New York regularly hosts workshops designed to support grassroots Friends groups through the sharing of best-practices, innovative programming and collaboration. Our workshops feature expert panelists ranging from professional consultants to other Friends group leaders, who share their insights on a variety of topics designed to increase the capacity and impact of grassroots organizations. Our workshops also provide opportunities for Friends to network and share resources.

In 2021 and 2023, Parks & Trails New York - in collaboration with the Friends Leadership Council and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation - developed a series of virtual workshops to foster inspiration and collaboration through the sharing of best-practices on topics that lend themselves to the growth of individual groups.  Topics included:

• Implicit Bias: Understanding Beliefs and Biases
• Programming Through the Lens of Contemporary Indigenous Knowledge and Culture
• NYS Parks Centennial and Friends Groups
• New York State Funding: Opportunities and Strategies
• Yes, There Was Slavery in New York & It Was Common
• Advancing Equity: How the “Connect Kids” and “Ladders to the Outdoors” Programs Expand Youth Access to Nature and History
• Park Advocacy Day: The Importance of Making Our Voices Heard
• Updating and Maximizing your MOA with State Parks
• Engaging, Recruiting, and Retaining Volunteers: Best Practices 
• The Natural Heritage Trust: What Is It and What Does it Mean for Friends? 
• Cultivating and Strengthening Your Board 
• The Power of Instagram: Using Instagram to Support Your Organization
• Friends are the Future! What PTNY Can Offer Friends in 2022

Workshop Recordings and Resources