HARRISBURG – Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn on Thursday announced that grant applications are now being accepted for recreation and conservation projects in communities across Pennsylvania.
“Each year, DCNR grants have a tremendous impact in helping communities with local park acquisition and improvements, trails and river access,” Dunn said.
“Our agency strives to assist worthy projects across the commonwealth to help promote conservation, recreation and positive stewardship of our beautiful natural resources.
“We encourage municipalities, non-profits and community organizations to apply for this year’s round of grants and look forward to reviewing new proposals.”
The 2023 Community Conservation Partnerships Program grant application round opened this week and will remain active until 4 p.m., Wednesday, April 5.
Last year, the program awarded approximately $90 million to more than 330 local and community projects statewide.
Those awards will help build or renovate more than 140 local parks, 54 miles of trails and permanently protect over 7,000 acres of land for public recreation.
On average, every dollar of this funding leverages another $1.66 in matching investment, giving each state dollar more power for the public good.
Grantees include local governments and recreation and conservation organizations. The grants fund planning, acquisition and development of:
- Public parks
- Recreation areas
- Motorized and non-motorized trails
- River conservation and access
- Community and riparian tree planting
- Open space conservation
- Regional and statewide partnerships to better develop and manage resources
Grant applications are only accepted through DCNR’s Grants Customer Service Portal. A portal tutorial video is available on DCNR’s YouTube channel to help potential applicants learn about grant requirements and how to navigate the application interface.
DCNR staff are also available to assist with answering questions, visiting potential project sites, and developing competitive grant applications. Contact information is available on the Regional Staff Assignment map (PDF).
“There are plenty of resources available to assist with completing a grant application and we encourage all manner of projects to apply for these grants,” Deputy Secretary Lauren Imgrund said.
“DCNR’s mission of conserving and sustaining Pennsylvania’s natural resources for present and future generations’ use and enjoyment extends to administering grants, which have a direct impact in communities across the state.”
Funding for Community Conservation Partnerships Program grants comes from multiple state and federal sources, including:
- Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund
- Environmental Stewardship Fund
- Pennsylvania Heritage Area Program
- Snowmobile and ATV Restricted Revenue Accounts
- Keystone Tree Fund
- Land and Water Conservation Fund
- Recreational Trails Program
Community Conservation Partnerships Program grants have helped permanently protect more than 430,000 acres across Pennsylvania for outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat and water quality. Over 40 percent of Pennsylvania’s 6,200 local parks have received a DCNR grant.
For more information, visit DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program webpage.