Finger Lakes Institute

What Finger Lakes Institute does

The Finger Lakes Institute houses the Finger Lakes Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (FL-PRISM), a regional non-profit program hosted by Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York. The organization operates across a 17-county region covering over 7.3 million acres and approximately 2.35 million people, providing invasive species prevention, detection, and control services focused on aquatic, terrestrial, and agricultural invasives. Core programs include the Watercraft Steward Program (operating since 2012), Trail Survey Program, Early Detection & Rapid Response (EDRR), Hydrilla Control, Starry Stonewort Collaborative, and the recently launched Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) Survey Program.

The underlying technology stack is built on conventional GIS platforms — ArcGIS, StoryMaps, and iMapInvasives — used to visualize georeferenced citizen science observations and produce public-facing distribution maps. A 2025 Trail Survey Program engaged 14 volunteers who submitted 257 survey points and 2,656 non-detection reports across 11 counties. The organization is funded primarily through multi-year contracts with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), which expanded programmatic scope in 2025 to include terrestrial invasive species and ecological restoration. The 2025 staffing model includes one coordinator plus four full-time staff, and the organization is currently commissioning a five-year strategic plan to formalize its expanded mandate.

The business model is government-funded non-profit service delivery. There is no commercial pricing; services to citizens and communities are free, and revenue derives from NYSDEC contract cycles. Education and outreach are delivered through workshops, webinars, field guides, social media, and a volunteer network. The organization is part of an eight-PRISM statewide network and coordinates with Cornell IPM, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and adjacent PRISMs such as SLELO for cross-regional invasive species management.

Name

Finger Lakes Institute

Legal name

Finger Lakes Institute

Website

https://fingerlakesinvasives.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Finger Lakes Institute, hosted by Hobart and William Smith Colleges, operates the Finger Lakes PRISM — a NYSDEC-funded non-profit managing invasive species prevention, detection, and control across a 17-county New York region through citizen science, volunteer programs, and GIS-based monitoring.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wellhead Protection & Source Water Protection Studies (EUAHAFAK)

Keywords

• Invasive species management
• Citizen science programs
• Watershed conservation services
• Ecological restoration
• Natural resource management

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts: Primary funding from NYSDEC contract cycle. The organization operates under multi-year contracts with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to manage invasive species across the 17-county Finger Lakes region.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Finger Lakes Institute operates the Finger Lakes PRISM, a regional invasive species management program that delivers early detection and rapid response, citizen science surveys, watercraft inspections, and public education across a 17-county region of New York State under contract with NYSDEC. Its offerings include the Watercraft Steward Program, Trail Survey Program, EDRR protocol, Hydrilla and Starry Stonewort control programs, and Hemlock Woolly Adelgid survey coordination.

Product overview

The Finger Lakes PRISM operates as a multi-program organization focused on invasive species management across a 17-county region of New York State. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected citizen science programs (Trail Survey Program, HWA Survey Program, general Citizen Science Programs), core management programs (Watercraft Steward Program, Early Detection & Rapid Response, Hydrilla Control, Starry Stonewort Collaborative), and education/outreach initiatives (workshops, field guides, bootbrush stations, webinars). The Watercraft Steward Program provides on-the-water inspections while Trail and HWA Survey Programs engage citizen scientists in detection efforts. These programs are supported by educational materials and coordinated through strategic planning with NYSDEC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Watercraft Steward Program Provides education and outreach to the Finger Lakes boating community, offering voluntary watercraft inspections to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Operating since 2012.
• Trail Survey Program Engages volunteers as citizen scientists to survey trails for invasive species observations, with certification tiers (Trail Tracker and Trail Master) for volunteer recognition.
• Early Detection & Rapid Response (EDRR) Protocol for rapid response to invasive species detections, including active and passive detection methods and response protocols scaled to infestation size.
• Citizen Science Programs Centralized citizen science initiatives that train volunteers to identify, report, and help prevent the spread of invasive species throughout the 17-county Finger Lakes region.
• Spotted Lanternfly Egg Mass Scraping Workshop Hands-on workshop training community members to identify and scrape spotted lanternfly egg masses from trees to prevent the spread of this invasive insect.
• Hydrilla Control (WANTED IN THE FLX) WANTED IN THE FLX campaign focused on controlling Hydrilla verticillata, an invasive submersed aquatic plant infesting Cayuga Lake and other regional water bodies.
• Starry Stonewort Collaborative Regional collaborative effort to monitor and control starry stonewort, a rooted macroalgae that can grow to two meters in length and is found in regional lakes and rivers.
• Education & Outreach Materials Resources including outreach materials, publications, field guides, bootbrush stations, recorded videos, and seasonal webinar series for invasive species awareness.
• Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) Survey Program Virtual training and hands-on workshops to identify signs of hemlock woolly adelgid infestation, with pesticide treatment coordination across regional state parks.

Quantifiable outcome

• Removed 1500-2500 spotted lanternflies from Hobart and William Smith Colleges through egg mass scraping workshop
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• St. Lawrence Eastern Lake Ontario PRISM (SLELO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 August 2026Joint collaboration on workshops and regional invasive species management. Co-hosting Spotted Lanternfly and Tree-of-Heaven Workshop on August 21, 2026 at Green Lakes State Park. Partnership enables resource sharing and coordinated early detection efforts across adjacent PRISM regions.
• Cornell Integrated Pest ManagementcoreTechnology or IntegrationCollaborates on SLF distribution mapping and early detection. Cornell IPM creates and maintains updated spotted lanternfly distribution maps used by the Finger Lakes PRISM for monitoring and response planning.
• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC)coreOthersPrimary funding source through multi-year contract cycle. NYSDEC contract brings updates to staffing, structure, and programming. Organization is expanding focus on terrestrial invasive species and ecological restoration under new contract.
• Cornell Cooperative Extension Invasive Species Team (CCE IS Team)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorks with FL-PRISM to implement management, monitoring, and follow-up activities for invasive species detections. Co-implementation partner in EDRR protocol.
• New York State PRISM NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of statewide network of 8 PRISMs including Adirondack Park, Capital-Mohawk, Catskills (CRISP), Long Island (LIISMA), Lower Hudson, SLELO, and Western New York PRISMs. Network enables coordination on statewide invasive species priorities.
• Hobart and William Smith CollegescoreOthersHost institution for the Finger Lakes Institute where Finger Lakes PRISM is housed. Located at 300 Pulteney Street, Geneva, NY. Provides organizational infrastructure and academic affiliation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Western New York PRISM: NY State PRISM covering western New York, operating under the same NYSDEC partnership structure with overlapping volunteer-driven invasive species programs.
• Cornell Cooperative Extension Invasive Species Team: Core implementation partner of FL-PRISM and a direct peer in delivering invasive species management, monitoring, and education across New York. Operates the same EDRR frameworks and overlapping program structures.
• Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP): The Adirondack PRISM and one of the longest-running PRISMs in the NY network. Closely comparable in mandate, funding structure, and citizen science programming.
• Capital-Mohawk PRISM: NY State PRISM serving the Capital District and Mohawk Valley. Directly comparable in scale, funding structure, and program portfolio (citizen science, Trail Survey-style programs, EDRR).
• Lower Hudson PRISM: NY State PRISM covering the Lower Hudson Valley. Operates the same NYSDEC-funded model with citizen science, EDRR, and aquatic invasive species programming.
• Catskills Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP): NY State PRISM covering the Catskills region with the same NYSDEC-funded model and citizen science volunteer framework. Operates the same portfolio of detection, EDRR, and watercraft steward-style programs.
• St. Lawrence Eastern Lake Ontario PRISM (SLELO): One of the other 8 NY State PRISMs, operating in the adjacent St. Lawrence/Eastern Lake Ontario region. Directly comparable operating model, NYSDEC contract structure, and citizen science approach; FL-PRISM and SLELO are co-hosting a Spotted Lanternfly workshop in August 2026.
• Long Island Invasive Species Management Area (LIISMA): Long Island's PRISM operating under the same statewide NYSDEC partnership model. Comparable mission around invasive species early detection, rapid response, and volunteer-led management.

Broad incumbents

• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC): The primary funder and regulator of FL-PRISM via multi-year contracts. Operates the overarching state invasive species program and PRISM network that defines FL-PRISM's mandate and funding.
• The Nature Conservancy (New York Chapter): A larger, well-funded environmental nonprofit operating across New York with significant overlap in invasive species management, land conservation, and ecological restoration. Serves as a broader incumbent with deeper funding and advocacy capacity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/flprism
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrAngww3rgH61kER7WBZlgg
• Facebookfacebook.com/FLPRISM
• Instagraminstagram.com/flprism
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/finger-lakes-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Finger Lakes Institute