2023 Grant Recipients Annouced
The Mini-Grant Program was developed by SMP in 2009 and is administered with help from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. The program is funded by the Environmental Stewardship Funds, a bipartisanly created program administered through the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The Mini-Grant Program’s goal is to stimulate projects that sustain the South Mountain region’s sense of place by promoting, enhancing, and protecting the area’s agricultural, natural, cultural, recreational, or economic resources. The program is available to 501(c) 3 nonprofits, municipalities, counties, and educational institutions. The following organizations were awarded Mini-Grants for such projects.
2023 SMP Mini-Grant Recipients
Central Pennsylvania Conservancy was awarded $12,000 for Observation Platforms at Letort Spring Garden Preserve. The Observation Platform project improves access and expands visitor opportunities at Central Pennsylvania Conservancy’s Letort Spring Garden Preserve in Carlisle. The repurposing of two areas of the former watercress farm (loading dock and porch foundation) into observation platforms addresses current safety concerns while enhancing visitor experiences by providing new perspectives and amenities, bordered by native plant gardens.
Cumberland County was awarded $6,500 for the Mt. Molly Marsh Preserve- Master Site Plan Implementation, Phase 1. The Cumberland County Planning Department plans to install new signage and update an informational/trail brochure for the Mount Holly Marsh Preserve. The County Planning Department is currently undertaking a master site plan process for the Mount Holly Marsh Preserve in response to increased usage and volunteerism. The Signage and brochures will jump start implementation and build momentum for additional projects outlined in the master site plan.
Keystone Trails Association was awarded $12,000 for the Trail Love Weekend: Michaux Edition. “Trail Love Weekend: Michaux Edition” is a festive volunteer-powered event, coordinated by Keystone Trails Association (KTA), to tackle numerous trail improvement projects in the Michaux State Forest on one grand evening and day in May 2024 – in partnership with several regional organizations and DCNR.
Shippensburg Center for Land Use and Sustainability was awarded $12,000 for the Empowering Communities to Preserve Historic Resources in the South Mountain Region Project. This project is a partnership aims to develop a series of training workshops and educational resources for citizens and municipal governments in Cumberland County. The goal is to help empower residents and local officials to identify resources they wish to preserve, understand the methods available to them to preserve those resources, and build greater interest through the region in preserving historic structures, landscapes, and farmland.
Strawberry Hill Foundation was awarded $5,000 for their Maple Sugaring Program. Strawberry Hill aims to expand the scope and reach of its Maple Sugaring Program to better engage and educate through the thoughtful incorporation of the natural and cultural history of maple sugaring in the South Mountain Region, and by creating more hands-on and immersive opportunities for the public to participate in this time-honored agricultural tradition.
Valley Traction Arts Collective was awarded $2,500 for BioGas: The Musical. BioGas :The Musical adapts the practical applications of biogas into a semi-narrative, abstract theatrical experience; it tells the story of biogas as it relates to our contemporary world, economy, agricultural systems, natural systems, and cultural imagination. The project will take on the form of a live musical theater piece which
will take place outdoors, using alternative energy sources, and incorporate a tour of a new biogas facility located adjacent to the Dickinson College Farm.
Flex Grant Program
The Flex Grants Program meets smaller community funding needs and supports projects increasing access to the area’s natural and cultural resources. Eligible organizations include businesses and community groups, as well as those eligible for the Mini-Grant Program. The program is funded by private donations raised through the Friends of the South Mountain Partnership, a Project of The Foundation For Enhancing Communities. Flex Grants were given to the following organizations.
A Fresh Look in Fresh Produce: Rebranding the Adams County
Farmers Market
Reza Djalal, Adams County Farmers Market Association
Wildlife Rehabilitation Program Growth
Emily Garrigan, West Shore Wildlife Center
Music on Bikes
Mitch Shiles, Bikeisle
AT Friendly Marketing Campaign
Mainstreet Waynesboro Inc.(accepted by Janet Pollard of Franklin County Visitors Bureau)
Paulus FarmPark Educational Signage
Morgan Hechler, Paulus Farm Market