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 Amount Date Duesort ascending
National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program

NPS-RTCA welcomes applications from community groups, nonprofit organizations, tribal governments, national parks, and local, state and federal agencies. NPS-RTCA does not provide financial assistance or monetary grants. As a collaborative partner, we provide professional services to help you achieve your conservation and outdoor recreation project vision.

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Funder:
National Park Service
Area of Interest:
Engagement & Stewardship, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
nationwide
Eligible Applicants:
ommunity groups, nonprofit organizations, tribal governments, national parks, and local, state and federal agencies
Award Amount:
n/a
March 1, 2024
Northern Conservation Initiative

The Strategic Business Plan (SBP) adopted by the Chester County Commissioners (Commissioners) establishes goals for land preservation, water quality, public safety, public health (mental and physical), quality of life, and economic development. The Commissioners have authorized the Department of Parks + Preservation to solicit land preservation proposals from eligible municipalities and private nonprofit organizations in northern Chester County that advance the SBP and complement conservation work in the northern part of the county by offering “Northern Conservation Initiative” grants on a trial basis. The County will focus these funds on projects that preserve the most land with the greatest economy and efficiency. Examples of high priority projects include (but are not limited to) preserving water quality, conserving flood prone areas, providing public recreation opportunities, implementing local and regional policy plans, or otherwise implementing the SBP. For more information about this program, please contact Judy Thomas at jthomas@chesco.org.

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Funder:
Chester County
Area of Interest:
Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
northern Chester municipalities (map on program site)
Eligible Applicants:
Local governments and nonprofit conservation organizations that (1) are certified by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission (LTAC) at the time of application, or if they are not LTAC certified, (2) are registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
Award Amount:
varies
LOI due 11/1/2022
Lawn Conversion Mini-Grants for Conservation Districts

The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts was awarded a $100,000 Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grant from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to offer Lawn Conversion training and mini-grants to Pennsylvania’s conservation districts. The lawn conversion program will help the Commonwealth achieve a goal of planting 5,000 acres of upland forest and 5,000 acres of meadow by 2025.

The Lawn Conversion for Conservation Districts training recording and a copy of Ryan Davis’s presentation are available on the PA Clean Water Academy. Click here to access the course page. (You will need to be logged in.) It is recommended that you complete the training before applying for the sub-grant.

Questions may be directed to Holly Miller, PACD Program Manager, at hmiller@pacd.org or (717) 794-6105.

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Funder:
PACD, PA DCNR
Area of Interest:
Agriculture, Engagement & Stewardship, Stormwater, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
Commonwealth of PA
Eligible Applicants:
County Conservation Districts
Award Amount:
varies
June 30, 2026
EPA Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Grants

The Department of Environmental Protection will be accepting applications for EPA Section 319 Watershed Restoration and Planning Grants. The purpose of these grants is to provide funding to implement nonpoint source management plans and activities identified in Pennsylvania’s Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) watersheds. Implementation activities must address specific sources of nonpoint source pollution identified by the 2019 – 2024 Pennsylvania Nonpoint Source Management Plan.

Objectives:

  • Reduce AMD-related iron, aluminum, and acidity pollutant loads.
  • Reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollutant loads.
    • Implement stream restoration, bank stabilization, and/or stormwater management projects.
    • Plant, maintain, and protect riparian forest buffers.
    • Implement agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs).

This year's grant also provides for funding to develop Watershed Implementation Plans in Hydrologic Unit Code 12 (HUC12) watersheds within Environmental Justice areas.

 

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Funder:
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
Area of Interest:
Abandoned Mine Drainage, Agriculture, Stormwater
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
incorporated watershed associations, counties or municipalities; county conservation districts; and council of governments or other authorized organizations including nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and municipal authorities
June 23, 2023
Wild Resources Conservation Grant

Overseen by PA DCNR, the Wild Resource Conservation Grant program safeguards Pennsylvania’s non-game animals, native plants and their habitat. Grants are awarded in three areas: species surveys, conservation and management.

The eligibility of applicants is dependent on the funding source. WRCP funding sources include both Wild Resource Conservation Fund (WRCF) and Environmental Stewardship Fund (ESF), with most the funds available through this solicitation from ESF. Therefore, applicants are strongly advised to seek a sponsoring organization that is eligible for ESF funding.

The following applicant eligibility applies:

  • Counties, municipalities, educational institutions, and tax-exempt 501(3) (c) organizations registered with the Bureau of Charitable Organizations are eligible to receive grants from ESF for projects intended to protect and conserve biological diversity.
  • Conservation Districts and municipal authorities are also eligible for some types of projects funded by ESF.
  • Individuals, state government agencies and for-profit businesses, in addition to the categories above, are eligible for WRCF funds but not ESF funds.
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Funder:
PA DCNR
Area of Interest:
Engagement & Stewardship, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
PA
Eligible Applicants:
varies by funding source
Award Amount:
$30,000 (average)
July 8, 2022
TreePennsylvania Bare Root Tree Program

TreePennsylvania's Bare Root Tree program aims to assist communities in Pennsylvania with increasing the tree canopy and commitment to urban and community forests.  This program provides 10 – 20 large caliper bare root trees for planting on land owned by a municipality (streets and parks) or non-profit organizations.

Approved applicants are responsible for scheduling a site visit and/or consultation with a PADCNR/Penn State Extension Forester and coordinating pick up of trees at a designated location and date. 

Trees must be planted within one week of pick up. TreePennsylvania will purchase trees on behalf of the communities – funding will not be provided directly to grantees. 

Pre-application deadline is July 29 at 4pm. Applicants will be notified if invited to submit a full application with a deadline of August 15. 

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Funder:
PA DCNR, USFS
Area of Interest:
Abandoned Mine Drainage, Agriculture, Engagement & Stewardship, Pathogens and Point Source, Stormwater, Watershed Land Protection
Eligible Region:
Communities outside Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties
Eligible Applicants:
municipalities and non-profit organizations
July 29, 2022 4pm
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
Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program

The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration grant program seeks to develop community capacity to sustain local natural resources for future generations by providing modest financial assistance to diverse local partnerships focused on improving water quality, watersheds and the species and habitats they support.

Projects include a variety of ecological improvements along with targeted community outreach, education and stewardship. Ecological improvements may include one or more of the following: wetland, riparian, forest and coastal habitat restoration; wildlife conservation, community tree canopy enhancement, habitat, water quality and wildlife monitoring and green infrastructure best management practices for managing run-off. 

Projects should increase access to the benefits of nature, reduce the impact of environmental hazards and engage local communities, particularly underserved communities, in project planning, outreach and implementation. This program expects that applicants will represent a mixture of urban and rural communities. NFWF may use a mix of public and private funding sources to support any grant made through this program and we expect that more than half of projects awarded will support underserved communities.

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Funder:
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Area of Interest:
Agriculture, Engagement & Stewardship, Stormwater
Eligible Region:
United States
Eligible Applicants:
Non-profit 501(c) Organizations, Local Governments, Municipal Governments, Indian Tribes, and Educational Institutions
Award Amount:
$20,000-$50,000
January 31, 2024
Training and Technical Assistance to Improve Water Quality and Enable Small Public Water Systems to Provide Safe Drinking Water

EPA is seeking applications from organizations with a demonstrable history of providing effective, results-oriented technical assistance to public water systems. The Agency’s priorities include maximizing funds to provide significant benefit to drinking water systems in communities of need; tackling the climate crisis; and advancing environmental justice and equity. EPA believes this funding plays a significant role to ensure continued access to resources to support infrastructure improvements that protect public health, safeguard the environment, and mitigate environmental justice concerns at the public water system.

If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact:
Brianna Knoppow, Phone: (202) 564-4433 E-mail: smallsystemsRFA@epa.gov

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Funder:
EPA
Area of Interest:
Pathogens and Point Source
Eligible Region:
national
Eligible Applicants:
nonprofit organizations, nonprofit private universities and colleges, and public institutions of higher education.
Award Amount:
$500,000 to $22,000,000
January 31, 2023
Regional Trail Workshop Grants

WeConservePA is offering grants of up to $5,000 to conservation-oriented non-profit organizations or local/county governments to support their local trail and greenway outreach and education efforts.

Funded through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and administered WeConservePA, Regional Trail Workshop Grants are awarded to support high-quality educational programming and safety training directly related to trails and greenways. Regional Trail Workshop Grants are reimbursement grants that cover up to 80 percent of the costs directly associated with each workshop (not to exceed $5,000) and require a 20 percent match from the organization. Grantees are responsible for all remaining workshop costs. Applicants may only receive one grant per calendar year.

Complete the grant application and budget worksheet and submit to cgrayshaw@weconservepa.org by the application deadline of January 27, 2022 to be considered for the 2022 grant round.

For awarded grants, requests for payment must be submitted to the WeConservePA by October 15, 2022, and only expenses accrued up to September 30, 2022 will be eligible for reimbursement.

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Funder:
WeConservePA
Area of Interest:
Engagement & Stewardship
Eligible Region:
Pennsylvania
Eligible Applicants:
501(c)3 non-profits, local/county government
Award Amount:
$5,000
January 27, 2022

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