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 Region Eligible Applicants Award Amountsort descending Date Due
Chester County Preservation Partnership Program (PPP) - Conservancy Grants

The Conservancy Program advances the County's Strategic Plan by awarding funds to non-profit land conservation organizations to assist them with preserving land and connecting people to the land. Please contact Judy Thomas at 610-344-5499 or jthomas@chesco.org to find out more about these programs and the grant application process. 

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Funder:
Chester County Department of Parks and Preservation
Area of Interest:
Engagement & Stewardship, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
Chester County
Eligible Applicants:
Nonprofit, 501c3 land conservation and preservation organizations and meet additional criteria in grant guidance
Award Amount:
range depending on grant subtype
February 29, 2024
Dirt Gravel, and Low Volume Road Maintenance Program

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.

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Funder:
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Area of Interest:
Agriculture, Engagement & Stewardship, Pathogens and Point Source, Recreation, Stormwater, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Any state or local public entity that owns and maintains public roads is eligible to apply for Program Funding.
Award Amount:
Ranges by county
Rolling
America the Beautiful Challenge

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), through anticipated cooperative agreements from the Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Defense (DoD), and the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is pleased to announce the launch of the America the Beautiful Challenge (ATBC) 2022 Request for Proposals (RFP). The ATBC vision is to streamline grant funding opportunities for new voluntary conservation and restoration projects around the United States. This Request for Proposals is a first step toward consolidating funding from multiple federal agencies and the private sector to enable applicants to conceive and develop large-scale, locally led projects that address shared funder priorities spanning public and private lands.

In year one of the ATBC approximately $85 million will be awarded in nationwide funding to advance the America the Beautiful Initiative and its goals to connect and restore the lands, waters, and wildlife upon which we all depend. In the first year, ATBC will seek to fund projects across the following themes:

  1. Conserving and restoring rivers, coasts, wetlands and watersheds 
  2. Conserving and restoring forests, grasslands and other important ecosystems that serve as carbon sinks 
  3. Connecting and reconnecting wildlife corridors, large landscapes, watersheds and seascapes 
  4. Improving ecosystem and community resilience to flooding, drought and other climate-related threats
  5. Expanding access to the outdoors, particularly in underserved communities

Collectively, these themes allow applicants to develop landscape-level ATBC proposals that address conservation and public access needs that showcase cumulative benefits to fish and wildlife, carbon sequestration and storage benefits, engage with and benefit underserved communities, support community access to nature, and help safeguard ecosystems through conservation, resilience-focused and nature-based solutions. 

Projects funded through the ATBC will advance the principles underlying the America the Beautiful Initiative, as described in the Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful Report:

  1. Pursue a collaborative and inclusive approach to conservation
  2. Conserve America’s lands and waters for the benefit of all people
  3. Support locally led and locally designed conservation efforts
  4. Honor Tribal sovereignty and support the priorities of Tribal nations
  5. Pursue conservation and restoration approaches that create jobs and support healthy communities
  6. Honor private property rights and support the voluntary stewardship efforts of private landowners and fishers
  7. Use science as a guide
  8. Build on existing tools and strategies with an emphasis on flexibility and adaptive approaches
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Funder:
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Area of Interest:
Abandoned Mine Drainage, Agriculture, Engagement & Stewardship, Pathogens and Point Source, Stormwater, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
United States - nationwide
Eligible Applicants:
State government agencies, territories of the United States, and Indian Tribes2 are eligible to apply for all four grant categories. Non-profit 501(c) organizations, local governments, municipal governments, and educational institutions are eligible to ap
Award Amount:
Ranges by grant category
July 16, 2024
Conservation Stewardship Program

The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) helps you build on your existing conservation efforts while strengthening your operation. Whether you are looking to improve grazing conditions, increase crop yields, or develop wildlife habitat, we can custom design a CSP plan to help you meet those goals. We can help you identify natural resource problems in your operation and provide technical and financial assistance to solve those problems or attain higher stewardship levels in an environmentally beneficial and cost-effective manner. If you are already taking steps to improve the condition of the land, chances are CSP can help you find new ways to meet your goals.

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Funder:
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Area of Interest:
Agriculture
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Individuals, Legal Entities, Joint Operations, or Native Tribes
Award Amount:
See annual payment formula
Year-round applications accepted
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
Act 13 - Abandoned Mine Drainage Abatement and Treatment Program (AMDATP)

Act 13 of 2012 establishes the Marcellus Legacy Fund and allocates funds to the Commonwealth Financing Authority (the “Authority”) for abandoned mine drainage, abatement, and treatment with the Abandoned Mine Drainage Abatement and Treatment Program (AMDATP). Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) is one of the largest sources of stream impairment in Pennsylvania. Billions of gallons of AMD impair over 5,500 miles of streams within the Commonwealth.

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:
Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development
Area of Interest:
Abandoned Mine Drainage
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Municipalities, Council of Governments, Authorized Organizations, Institutions of Higher Education, Watershed Organizations, For Profit Businesses
Award Amount:
Up to $1,000,000
05/31 annually
PECO Green Region Open Space Grants

Recognizing that open space in our communities is crucial to the quality of our lives, PECO has committed to supporting municipalities, recreational authorities and nonprofits in Southeastern Pennsylvania with their ongoing efforts to preserve, protect and improve public spaces. The grants, which have a 50 percent match requirement, can be used with other funding sources to cover expenses related to open space projects, such as consulting fees, trail construction, land acquisition, habitat improvement and the cost of creating and implementing an open space plan.

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Funder:
PECO
Area of Interest:
Engagement & Stewardship, Stormwater, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and York Counties within a PECO area of service
Eligible Applicants:
Municipalities and regional recreational authorities within PECO’s suburban service territory, including portions of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and York counties. Within the City of Philadelphia, eligible applicants are limited to nonprofits.
Award Amount:
Up to $10,000
10-12-2022
2022 Healing the Planet Grant Program

The Healing the Planet Grant Program, funded by the GIANT Company, aims to support water conservation efforts across The GIANT Company’s operating area in the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia. Applications will be accepted for $2,500, $5,000 and $10,000. Interested applicants that have smaller projects that do not meet the minimum grant of $2,500 are encouraged to expand the scope of their project or partner with another organization. Applications for less than $2,500 will not be considered. Applications will be accepted online only until April 28, 2022 at 4:00 PM EST. Applications can be saved and completed at a later date. 

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Funder:
The Giant Company
Area of Interest:
Agriculture, Engagement & Stewardship, Pathogens and Point Source, Stormwater
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania: Adams, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clearfield, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Indiana, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery,
Eligible Applicants:
Tax exempt organizations: 501(c)3 non-profits, conservation districts, schools, churches, local and county governments
Award Amount:
up to $10,000
April 28, 2022
Environmental Grant Program

Established in 2005, the annual Environmental Grant Program offers funding for innovative, community-based environmental projects that improve, restore, and/or protect the watersheds, surface water, and groundwater supplies in our local communities. Project activities should address a watershed or source water protection need in the local community within American Water service areas.

This annual grant program has donated more than $650,000 to fund more than 135 projects to protect and improve the environment across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In 2022, 13 Environmental Grant recipients, listed below, received a share of grant funds totaling nearly $75,000 for their community-based projects that improve, restore or protect watersheds.

 

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Funder:
American Water
Area of Interest:
Abandoned Mine Drainage, Agriculture, Engagement & Stewardship, Pathogens and Point Source, Recreation, Stormwater, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
American Water service areas
Eligible Applicants:
Nonprofits, Municipalities, Schools, and Other
Award Amount:
Up to $10,000
03/31/2023
PECO Green Region Open Space Program View More
Funder:
PECO
Area of Interest:
Recreation, Stormwater, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
Any township, borough, city, or regional recreational authority within PECO’s service territory in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or York Counties.
Eligible Applicants:
Eligible applicants must receive gas and/or electric service from PECO.
Award Amount:
Up to $10,000 and may be used to fund up to 50% of the project, with 50% or greater of project expenses covered by cash match.
October 24, 2024 4pm

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