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 ascending Date Due
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
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
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
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
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
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
Agricultural Research Projects

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. 

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Funder:
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Area of Interest:
Agriculture
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Award Amount:
Not specified
06/21/2021
Delaware River Watershed Protection Fund

Through the Fund, OSI provides three types of grants for partners within the Delaware River Watershed Initiative:

  1. Capital Grants (for Forest Land and/or Farm Buffer projects)
  2. Transaction Grants (to jump start land conservation efforts)
  3. and Catalyst Grants (to integrate water quality science into open space plans)
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Funder:
William Penn Foundation, Open Space Institute
Area of Interest:
Agriculture, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
Delaware River Watershed Initiative Cluster Focus Areas
Eligible Applicants:
Delaware River Watershed Initiative Cluster Partners
Award Amount:
No minimum or maximum grant size; typically between $75,000-$450,000
September 25, 2023
Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing up to $17 million for conservation partners to help protect and restore critical wetlands on agricultural lands through the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP). USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is prioritizing proposals that focus on assisting historically underserved producers conserving wetlands. Proposals from partners are due August 15, 2021. PAST DUE - Check USDA Newsroom Releases for future funding oppotunities.

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Funder:
USDA Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership
Area of Interest:
Agriculture, Engagement & Stewardship, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
National
Eligible Applicants:
Agricultural landowners
Award Amount:
No min or max
08/15/2021
Multi-functional Riparian Buffer Grants

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.

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Funder:
Pennsylvania Assocation of Conservation Districts, Inc. (PACD)
Area of Interest:
Agriculture, Engagement & Stewardship, Stormwater
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
Pennsylvania Conservation Districts and Landowners
Award Amount:
No min or max
6/30/2022

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