Grants

Upcoming grant & award deadlines from PA Environment Digest: http://www.paenvironmentdigest.com/newsletter/default.asp?NewsletterArticleID=45853&SubjectID=

Grant Program Funder Area of Interest Eligible Regionsort ascending Eligible Applicants Award Amount Date Due
Swift Current Initiative (funded by Bipartisan Infrastructure Law)

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.
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Funder:
FEMA
Area of Interest:
Pathogens and Point Source, Stormwater
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Local governments: cities, townships, counties, and tribal governments can apply as sub-applicants to the state agency (PEMA)
April 1 through October 3, 2022
Growing Greener Plus Grants Program

The Environmental Stewardship and Watershed Protection Act, known as the Growing Greener Watershed Restoration and Protection Program (Growing Greener), was passed into law in December 1999. The statutory authority for the grants is found in Section 6105(b) of the Environmental Stewardship and Watershed Protection Act (27 Pa.C.S. §§ 6101—6113). The primary purpose of the program is to restore impaired waters and protect waterways from nonpoint source pollution within the Commonwealth

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Funder:
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Area of Interest:
Abandoned Mine Drainage, Agriculture, Engagement & Stewardship, Stormwater
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Watershed association, county or municipality, government council, county conservation district, educational institution, 501(c)(3) corporation, municipal authority
06/23/2023
Small Business Advantage Grant

The Small Business Advantage Grant provides 50% matching grants, up to a maximum of $5,000 to enable Pennsylvania small businesses to purchase energy efficient or pollution prevention equipment, or adopt waste reduction processes.

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Funder:
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Area of Interest:
Abandoned Mine Drainage, Agriculture, Engagement & Stewardship, Pathogens and Point Source, Stormwater
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Pennsylvania-based businesses with 100 or fewer full-time employees are eligible.
Award Amount:
Up to $5,000
Rolling
DCNR Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grants (C2P2)

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.

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Funder:
DCNR
Area of Interest:
Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Non-profit with 501(c)3 IRS Status and Non-profit with PA Bureau of Charitable Organizations Status, Regional municiple entities and State-designated Heritage Areas.
04/03/2024
Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grants

DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation (BRC) assists local governments and recreation and conservation organizations with funding for projects related to parks, recreation, planning, and conservation. Applications for DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program grants are accepted once a year, typically during the spring. Grants also support regional and statewide partnerships that build capacity to better develop and manage resources.

Tutorial videos: 

Before starting your grant application, contact your DCNR Bureau of Recreation and Conservation regional advisor for advice on making your project as competitive as possible for funding.

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Funder:
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)
Area of Interest:
Engagement & Stewardship, Recreation, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Counties, Municipalities, Municipal agencies, Nonprofis, State Heritage Areas, Prequalified land trusts, For-profit enterprises
Award Amount:
Varies
04/05/2023
Act 13 - Flood Mitigation Program (FMP)

Projects authorized by a flood protection authority, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) or identified by a local government for flood mitigation are eligible for the program.

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.

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Funder:
PA Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED)
Area of Interest:
Agriculture, Pathogens and Point Source, Stormwater
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Municipalities, Higher Education, Watershed Organizations, For-Profit Businesses
Award Amount:
Up to $500,000. A 15% match of the total project cost is required.
05/31 of each year
Watershed Restoration and Protection Program

The overall goal of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Program (WRPP) is to restore, and maintain restored stream reaches impaired by the uncontrolled discharge of nonpoint source polluted runoff, and ultimately to remove these streams from the Department of Environmental Protection’s Impaired Waters list. Projects which involve the construction, improvement, expansion, repair, maintenance or rehabilitation of new or existing watershed protection Best Management Practices (BMPs).

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Funder:
Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development
Area of Interest:
Agriculture, Stormwater
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Municipalities, Higher Education, Watershed Organizations, For-Profit Businesses
Award Amount:
Up to $300,000 for any project. A 15% match of the total project cost is required.
2/1 through 5/31 annually
Riparian Forest Buffer Program

The DCNR Riparian Forest Buffer Program provides financial assistance to identify locations in need of riparian forest buffers and to design, establish, and provide short-term maintenance for those buffers.

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Funder:
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)
Area of Interest:
Abandoned Mine Drainage, Agriculture, Engagement & Stewardship, Stormwater, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Landowners, Local Governments, Educational Organizations, Non-profit Organizations
Award Amount:
Minimum grant award of $50,000
08/31 of each year
Resource Enhancement & Protection Program (REAP)

Through the Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) Program, farmers, landowner, and businesses earn tax credits for implementing "Best Management Practices" (BMPs) that will enhance farm production and protect natural resources. REAP is a first-come, first-served program that enables farmers, businesses, and landowners to earn PA income tax credits to offset the cost of implementing conservation practices.  Tax credits provided by the REAP program helps farmers off-set the costs of implementing best management practices (BMPs) that benefit their farms and work to protect water quality at the same time.

REAP provides funding at levels of 50% - 90% of costs incurred in the implementation of BMPs that reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution.

  • Projects eligible for 50% reimbursement: no-till planting equipment; precision nutrient application equipment; manure storage structures; cover crops; grazing practices; forested riparian buffers; others
  • Projects eligible for 75% reimbursement: BMPs that reduce pollution runoff from animal concentration areas; Nutrient/Manure Management Plans; Conservation/Ag E&S Plans; others
  • Projects eligible for 90% reimbursement (In a TMDL designated watershed) - multi-species cover crops; forested riparian buffers (50+ ft wide); livestock exclusion from streams and associated practices; others

New for 2023-2024

  • Increased focus on multi-species cover crops and cover crop equipment; including cover crop drones
  • Precision nutrient application plans
  • Silvopasture systems
  • No-till and nutrient application equipment upgrade kits

Applications are accepted beginning on the first Monday in August of each calendar year.

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Funder:
PA Department of Agriculture
Area of Interest:
Agriculture
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Farmers or a sponsor
Award Amount:
Tax credits of 50 to 75 percent of a project’s eligible out-of-pocket costs. Farmers whose operation is in a watershed with an EPA-mandated Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) can receive REAP tax credits of 90 percent of out-of-pocket costs.
October 31, 2023
Small Project Initiative (SPI)

The Small Project Initiative (SPI) is available statewide and is designed to efficiently support repairs, short-term construction for water, wastewater, non-point source and stormwater improvements.

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Funder:
PennVEST
Area of Interest:
Pathogens and Point Source
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Public or private entities involving an agriculture operation or serving communities less than 12,000 people (or 1,000 water hookups)
Award Amount:
Up to $500,000 low-interest loan funding
Rolling

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