Grants

Act 13 of 2012 establishes the Marcellus Legacy Fund and allocates funds to the Commonwealth Financing Authority (the “Authority”) to be used to fund statewide initiatives to establish baseline water quality data on private water supplies using the Baseline Water Quality Data Program (BWQDP). Projects which involve practices for water sample collection and analysis to document existing groundwater quality conditions on private water supplies.

Applications will be accepted between February 1st and May 31st of each year. All applications and required supplemental information must be received by May 31st.

The Department of Agriculture (Department) is soliciting applications to conduct agricultural research on one or more of the following research topic areas, with the research to be conducted from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, with the possibility, but not the assurance, of extending that research into subsequent years.

 Some topics include: various multiyear research projects, climate adaptation and mitigation, spotted lanternfly, conservation BMPs, the PA Pollinator Protection Plan, dairy product research, blockchain technology, workforce development, urban agriculture, pesticide impacts, noxious weeds, etc. 

Interested applicants must submit a complete electronic research project proposal and grant application using the Department of Community and Economic Development's Electronic Single Application web site at https://www.esa.dced.state.pa.us/Login.aspx on Friday, June 25, 2021, by 4 p.m. PAST DUE - Check back for more funding opportunities next year. 

Pennsylvania’s conservation districts are encouraged to apply for funding to install multi-functional buffers (A riparian forest buffer that provides opportunities for harvesting products such as nuts, berries, woody florals, forbs, and potentially woody biomass) in conjunction with landowners. This grant is first come first served. The grant round will stay open until funds are used up or June 30, 2022, whichever comes first. No match required.

Pennsylvania will receive $5 million, through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to support Pennsylvania in mitigation against future damage from natural disasters.

“Pennsylvania is one of the most flood-prone states in the country,” said Gov. Wolf. “Every year we have flooding that does not meet federal thresholds for assistance, so this mitigation funding will help get people out of harm’s way and prevent future losses due to flooding.”

Properties that are covered by a policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and have sustained repetitive losses due to flooding are eligible for the new Swift Current initiative, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Homeowners who are interested in this program should contact their local municipality or county emergency management agency for more information. 

The local government in which the property is located is considered the sub-applicant and will work with interested property owners to develop a sub-application. The local government will submit the sub-application to the state on property owner’s behalf, and the state will submit the application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA will select projects based on eligibility and funding available in each state.

Participation in the Swift Current initiative is voluntary. The following project types are eligible to participate in Swift Current even if an insurance claim has been filed:

• Property Acquisition and Structure Demolition/Relocation;
• Nonstructural Retrofitting of Existing Buildings and Facilities;
• Structure Elevation;
• Mitigation Reconstruction;
• Dry Floodproofing of Historic Residential Structures or Non-Residential Structures; and
• Structural Retrofitting of Existing Buildings.