Grants

The program awards competitive grants that accelerate the adoption of regenerative agriculture principles and conservation practices on private working lands in priority geographic areas. Grant recipients provide technical assistance to farmers and ranchers to help them develop management plans, design and implement best practices, participate in Farm Bill programs, and share their experiences and lessons learned. This work enhances wildlife habitat, soil health, water conservation and quality, and carbon storage while providing important social and economic benefits to agricultural producers. Approximately $6.7 million in grant funding is available under this funding opportunity.

Partnership Grants are reserved for agricultural service providers--extension staff, nonprofits, consultants, state departments of agriculture, and others working in the agricultural community--who want to conduct research to improve production practices, marketing approaches, or farmer, farmworker or community well-being; education and training programs to increase knowledge and improve decision-making about sustainable practices; on-farm or in-market demonstrations of new techniques; and developing new farm management and community development approaches that support sustainable agriculture outcomes.

We are not accepting proposals at this time. Proposals for 2021 grant cycle were due on April 13, 2021. The 2022 grant cycle will open in early 2022. 

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.

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

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