Cassadaga got its feet wet when it came to an opportunity with the New York Forward grant. While it did not finish with any funding, two other Western New York communities did — Westfield and Angola.

From this corner’s perspective, Westfield has plenty of punch in making its case. Its downtown is driven by small businesses and the Westfield Development Corp. plays a role in driving business to the village and town.

Cassadaga, at the present moment, has seen strides in its downtown. There are more shops and restaurants — especially at the light along Route 60 that includes an outdoors store that also acts as a county welcoming site.

At a recent meeting, the committee behind the grant application suggested pursuing smaller grants in the coming months to make improvements to the village in preparation for the next submission. The committee is also seeking more data to strengthen its position on proposing a senior living facility and early childhood center.

“We need to focus on building those areas so that when we do another application in 2026, we are much stronger – that we already have commitment where we need to; we have the numbers that we need to justify things; and we directly address their feedback,” said Nancy Wickmark, who heads the committee.

It is an impressive start — and it is only the beginning.