The Lumber Heritage Region of Pennsylvania Inc. (LHR) and the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship Inc. (PA Wilds Center) are pleased to announce the region’s 2017 Mini-Grant Program.
The Lumber Heritage Region is one of Pennsylvania’s 12 Heritage Areas covering 15 counties.
LHR:
- provides technical, educational and financial assistance to communities, local governments, business institutions and the general public.
- coordinates programs which interpret the region’s unique lumber history, celebrates its living heritage and fosters a greater understanding of the contemporary lumber and forest products industry.
- works to enhance the region’s economy by providing forest management education; conserving and interpreting historic, natural and recreational resources; and enhancing tourism in cooperation with local communities to make the region a better place to live, work and visit.
The Lumber Heritage Region has funded and created some exciting projects throughout the Region.
These projects are connecting communities, telling stories, creating opportunities, exploring economic development and much more. They represent more than $3 million dollars in public and private investments in the communities of the Region. You can learn more at www.lumberheritage.org.
PA Wilds Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, which mission is to integrate conservation and economic development in a way that strengthens and inspires communities in the Pennsylvania Wilds.
PA Wilds Center, in coordination with its many partners, offers programs and services that help grow the nature and heritage tourism industry across the 12.5 counties of the Pennsylvania Wilds region. This work is helping create jobs, diversify local economies, inspire stewardship and improve quality of life. You can learn more at www.pawildscenter.org.
The PA Wilds Center was established in 2013; the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship is a non-profit that operates four main programs: PA Wilds Small Business Assistance; PA Wilds Artisan Trail; PA Wilds Trademark Licensing Program; and PA Wilds Inspiring Young Entrepreneurs Program.
The center works closely with state partners and the PA Wilds Team and PA Wilds Marketing to grow nature and heritage tourism in the 12.5 counties of the PA Wilds Region.
LHR and PA Wilds Center in partnership with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), has funding available to support projects totaling $60,000 with a maximum award of $5,000 per application.
The grant amount must be matched dollar for dollar with funds from other sources. Projects must be completed and funds must be expended by May 1, 2018.
The type of grants considered will be projects that implement recommendations of the LHR Management Action Plan, PA Wilds Planning Team Strategic Plan and Pennsylvania Wilds Design Guide and strategic priorities as outlined below.
Highest priority will be given to projects focusing on the use of technology in promoting the heritage of the area, and eligible project activities would include but not be limited to:
- Educational pieces that promote the forest products industry and the heritage of the region.
- Media pieces that highlight the history, heritage and or recreational opportunities in the region.
- Packaged itineraries and products associated with those itineraries.
- Elements from existing plans including but not limited to trails, watershed, greenway or heritage community plans.
- Projects that lead to more woods-related craftspeople joining The Wilds Cooperative of PA network (artisan wood workers, maple producers – learn more at pawildsartisans.com).
- Projects that create short high-quality videos (up to two minutes) about one or more lumber assets in the region that can be used on the regional visitor site pawilds.com and LHR’s Web site (as well as for the applicant’s uses); or short videos that help tell the story that the Wilds is a working forest and highlights the high performance sustainable forestry practices being done here.
- Projects that create high-quality digital stories (pictures and copy) about the region’s lumber assets (brick and mortar, events, history, artisan woodworkers in The Wilds Cooperative of PA) that can be used for pawilds.com, LHR’s Web site, both organization’s social media channels, as well as for the applicant’s uses.
- Projects that promote use of or principles in the PA Wilds Design Guide for Community Character Stewardship.
Eligible applicants for the program would include non-profit 501(c)3 organizations, municipalities, conservation districts, educational institutions and housing and development authorities. The project must be located within the boundaries of the Lumber Heritage Region/Pennsylvania Wilds Region.
Details and application packets are available on the LHR Web site at www.lumberheritage.org or by calling the LHR at 814-486-0213.
Funding for the Lumber Heritage Region/ PA Wilds Center 2017 Mini-Grant Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Bureau of Recreation and Conservation (BRC).
The Pennsylvania Wilds region includes the counties of: Warren, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Forest, Elk, Cameron, Clinton, Clarion, Jefferson, Clearfield, Lycoming and northern Centre. Lumber Heritage Region includes all those counties plus Indiana and Cambria.