Grants

The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a part of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) the country's largest private-land conservation program. Administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), CREP targets specific State or nationally significant conservation concerns, and federal funds are supplemented with non-federal funds to address those concerns. In exchange for removing environmentally sensitive land from production and establishing permanent resource conserving plant species, farmers and ranchers are paid an annual rental rate along with other federal and non-federal incentives as applicable per each CREP agreement. Participation is voluntary, and the contract period is typically 10-15 years.

For more information on the CREP program within Pennsylvania's portion of the Delaware River basin click here.

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.

Wells Fargo and NFWF have partnered to create the Resilient Communities program. Through improvements to natural features and enhanced community capacity, the program will help communities prepare for future impacts associated with sea level rise, sustain appropriate water quantity and quality and enhance forest conservation. By taking advantage of natural features like wetlands, resilient shorelines, urban tree canopies, natural forests and healthy upstream watersheds, communities can accrue quality of life benefits today, enhance fish and wildlife resources and help prepare for foreseeable resilience challenges. 

The Appalachian Region Independent Power Producers Association (ARIPPA) is partnering with the Eastern and Western Pennsylvania Coalitions for Abandoned Mine Reclamation to offer competitive awards to watershed and conservancy organizations facilitating abandoned mine drainage (AMD) and/or abandoned mine land (AML) remediation projects in Pennsylvania.

Awards are granted under the guidance and administration of EPCAMR and WPCAMR. The amount distributed by ARIPPA in 2023 will be $6,000. However, the total grant award could potentially increase depending on contributions from other donors.

Funding may be used for, but not limited to, the following:

-- Operations, maintenance, and rehabilitation of AMD treatment systems

-- Stream monitoring equipment purchases

-- Analyses and watershed plans

-- Vegetation management and erosion control

-- Educational purposes to promote AMD/AML reclamation

-- Supplies for trash cleanups

-- Drone purchase and training to use as a tool to promote AMD/AML reclamation

The ARIPPA AMD/AML Reclamation Grants are designed to help environmental organizations and conservation districts continue their efforts toward improving our environment.