Grants

Partners across Greater Philadelphia are working to build a region-wide network of multi-use trails that people can use to bike, walk, roll, commute, exercise, relax, and meet neighbors and friends.  This network, called the Circuit Trails, connects communities across the nine counties of Greater Philadelphia and is a hub for national trails like the East Coast Greenway and 9/11 National Memorial Trail. About 370 miles of this 800-plus-mile network are complete.

Continuing to build the Circuit Trails and creating safe, accessible, and welcoming community connections to the network are two important goals to ensure the continuing success of this initiative. These goals are envisioned in the region’s long-range transportation plan, Connections 2050: Plan for Greater Philadelphia, and in DVRPC’s Regional Trails Program.

Capitalized with funding from the William Penn Foundation, a total of $1 million is available through this funding opportunity for projects in the nine-county Greater Philadelphia region to fund right-of-way acquisition, planning, design, and/or construction of multi-use trails and/or safe, accessible, and welcoming trailheads, gateways, and neighborhood connections.

 A strong emphasis is placed on equity and community engagement as part of this funding opportunity.

Section 9106 of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code annually provides for the allocation of $35,000,000 from the Motor Vehicle License Fund for the Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program.  Of that amount, $7,000,000 is allocated directly to the Bureau of Forestry for maintaining the dirt and gravel roads in their jurisdictions.  The SCC is responsible for allocating the remaining $28,000,000 to the 64 County Conservation Districts who participate in the Dirt and Gravel Road Maintenance Program, including up to $8,000,000 for the maintenance of low-volume roads.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals to conserve, restore, and connect people with fish and wildlife habitat in the Delaware River watershed. The Delaware River Program will award matching grants of $75,000 to $1,500,000 each to conserve, restore and protect habitats on public and private land that contribute to the overall health of the Delaware River watershed—as well as benefit the quality of life and economic vitality of the communities in the Delaware River watershed. 

Full Proposal Due Date: Thursday, March 21 2024 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time

• In 2024, NFWF will award DWCF grants in four grant categories including: Implementation Grants; Capacity Building Grants; Planning Grants; and Research, Monitoring & Evaluation Grants. More information on the anticipated grant amount range and match requirements per category is located in the RFP.
• As with previous years, the DWCF seeks to support projects which increase equitable access and community engagement, especially for underserved communities, with the goal of providing opportunities for all to experience the benefits of a healthy Delaware River Watershed. Proposals should include specific demographic details (age, race, ethnicity, poverty rates, unemployment) to highlight communities disproportionately vulnerable to environmental hazards.
• One million dollars of the available funding will be set aside for proposals that support management, research, monitoring, and/or outreach activities that have direct conservation benefits or meet other priority needs of ESA-listed species, at-risk species, or NFWF business plan species (see the related content section of the RFP for a list of species and additional guidance on priority species conservation).
• New in 2024, NFWF has approximately $400,000 in dedicated funding from NRCS to support projects under the DWCF working on private, working lands that provide technical assistance to direct staff resources to help agricultural producers design and implement conservation practices benefitting American Black Duck and Golden-winged warbler, target species under USDA's Working Lands for Wildlife program, within the watershed.  

Partnerships projects are collaborative statewide or regional initiatives that help build local, county, regional and statewide capacity to better develop and manage recreation and park facilities and to promote the conservation of natural and heritage resources through plan implementation, education and training.