Funding Opportunities in the South Mountain
We are excited to be offering this list of funding opportunities in the region, but we need your help to populate the list! Know of a funding source in the South Mountain? Email Julia Chain at jchain@appalachiantrail.org
Please use this list as a starting point, and please remember to confirm eligibility and information as programs can change from year to year.
| Name | County | Funding Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County Parks, Recreation and Green Space | Adams | The Program Goal is to provide funding for the preservation of agricultural lands, open space, parklands, historical and cultural resources and the development of recreational and trail projects. | $25,000 |
| HGAC’s Barn Preservation Project and Grant Program | Adams | Matching funds may be requested for the stabilization and rehabilitation of barns that are: 1. Listed on the HGAC Adams County Barn Registry 2. Originally constructed for the shelter of livestock and/or storage of farm equipment or agricultural products. 3. Over 50 years old. 4. In need of substantial repair, and retains a significant degree of historic character and material. | $2,500 |
| South Mountain Partnership Grant Programs | Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and York | Flex and Mini Grant serve to fund projects protecting landscape resources across the South Mountain Region. | |
| Wild East Action Fund | All | Land protection and organizational capacity-building projects that have accelerated the pace of conservation within the Appalachian Trail landscape. | Up to $25,000 and $100,000 |
| Coldwater Conservation Implementation Grants | All | used to pay for equipment, materials, meeting expenditures, construction activities and other services to implement recommendations. | up to $10,000 |
| Coldwater Conservation Planning Grants | All | for the creation of a Coldwater Conservation Plan that will ultimately conserve and protect the coldwater streams of Pennsylvania. | up to $7,500 |
| Greenways, Trails, and Recreation Program (GTRP) DCED | All | Projects which involve development, rehabilitation and improvements to public parks, recreation areas, greenways, trails, and river conservation. | up to $250,000 |
| Watershed Restoration and Protection Program (WRPP) | All | Projects which involve the construction, improvement, expansion, repair, maintenance or rehabilitation of new or existing watershed protection Best Management Practices (BMPs). | up to $300,000 |
| The Trail Capacity Program | All | The Trail Fund’s vision is to engage the trail, outdoor recreation, and conservation industry giving community to partner with critical stewardship organizations to save our trails. | $2,000-$15,000 |
| PA DCNR Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grants | All | DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation (BRC) assists local governments and recreation and conservation organizations with funding for projects related to: Parks, Recreation and Conservation | Varies |
| Healing the Planet Grant Program | All | To improve the health and quality of waterways which will help protect water resources and improve the overall health of communities. | Varies |
| America the Beautiful Challenge | All | The ATBC vision is to streamline grant funding opportunities for new voluntary conservation and restoration projects around the United States. This RFP consolidates 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. | $200,000 ++ |
| Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) | All | Grants for historic preservation planning and construction and Certified Local Government. | Varies |
| Trail Grants Program | All | Through our Trail Grants Program, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) emphasizes strategic investments that support significant regional and community trail development goals. Many of our funded projects are small in scope and scale and can be hard to finance within traditional funding streams. These projects are essential to building, maintaining and managing the trails that so many of us love and that communities rely upon for recreation, transportation and economic vitality. | |
| Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau Tourism Grant Program | Cumberland | Projects representing heritage, cultural, agricultural and experiential tourism. | Paused |
| Land Partnerships Grant Program | Cumberland | The Land Partnerships Grant Program provides financial assistance to municipalities and non-profit organizations for the purpose of agriculture preservation, natural resource protection, creation of parks, trails & greenways and planning and ordinance assistance projects. | Up to $20,000-$100,000 |
| York County Open Space and Land Preservation Grant Program | York | Funds to acquire land for natural resource protection or parkland. Funding is also available to York County municipalities to conduct planning studies and to develop portions of comprehensive plans and ordinances to address the County Comprehensive Plan’s open space, land protection, sensitive natural features, and agricultural protection-related goals and objectives. | Up to $25,000-$100,000 |
| Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program (CFI) | All | The Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program (CFI Program) is a new competitive grant program created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle charging and alternative fueling infrastructure in the places people live and work – urban and rural areas alike – in addition to along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs). | |
| Network for Landscape Conservation Catalyst Fund | All | The Catalyst Fund strives to accelerate the pace and practice of landscape conservation and stewardship across the United States by making strategic investments in strengthening the collaborative capacity of place-based, community-grounded Landscape Conservation Partnerships. | one- or two-year grants of up to $25,000 in total |
| Keep Communities Flowing Grant Program | All | The American Water Charitable Foundation supports three pillars of giving: Water, People and Communities | |
| Water Trail Urgent Issue Mini-Grants | All | Grants are available for projects that can quickly and efficiently address an urgent issue on a designated Pennsylvania Water Trail. Urgent issues are those that are causing, or could reasonably be expected to cause, an unsafe or dangerous situation for those wishing to access the river for recreation. | up to $2,000, must include dollar-for-dollar match |
| Tourism Product Development Grant | Cumberland | The Tourism Product Development (TPD) Grant is intended to increase the number or products, experiences and services that draw overnight visitors to the Cumberland Valley. Awarded grant projects will increase the number of visits, length of stays and spending by visitors in the County. | Applicants for the TPD Grant can request between $25,000-250,000 |
| Tourism Recovery Grant | Cumberland | The new Tourism Recovery Grant is designed to help tourism-related industries recover from the Covid-19 Pandemic | Applicants can request between $2,500-$10,000 |
| Agriculture and Youth Grant Program | All | The Pennsylvania Ag & Youth Grant Program provides direct grants and matching grants to help fund eligible projects, programs and equipment purchases conducted or made by an organization composed mainly of youth, or an organization with programs that benefit youth, and organized to promote development in the areas of agriculture, community leadership, vocational training and peer fellowship. | |
| Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program | All | This program is designed to pair access to existing small business consulting services with financial resources up to $2,000 for creative entrepreneurs who aspire to start their own for-profit business or who operate an existing for-profit micro business. | Up to $2,000 |
| Small Business Advantage Grant | All | The Small Business Advantage Grant provides reimbursement grants ranging from 50% to 80% of eligible project costs to Pennsylvania small businesses to improve energy efficiency or reduce pollution or waste. | Maximum grant award amounts will vary from up to $5,000 to up to $8,000 |
| Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Landscape Mini-Grant Program | The Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Landscape (KRCL) Mini-Grant Program helps partners protect this globally important and locally cherished ridgeline by offering funding for projects that help advance the KRCL’s strategic goals, including: protecting land to advance wildlife and water conservation (non-acquisition work); building identity and ownership in the KRCL as a valued natural asset; municipal outreach and adoption of local programs and policies; and scientific research. | Grants up to $10,000 | |
| REI Cooperative Action Fund | All | REI offers the REI Cooperative Action Fund, a community-driven nonprofit that exists to provide support for nonprofit organizations across the country doing the deep and essential work to create a more equitable outdoors for everyone. | |
| Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) | All | The RACP is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. RACP projects are authorized in the Redevelopment Assistance section of a Capital Budget Itemization Act, have a regional or multi-jurisdictional impact, and generate substantial increases or maintain current levels of employment, tax revenues, or other measures of economic activity. | A RACP project must have a total cost of at least $1,000,000 and have a 50% match at the time of application. |
| Chesapeake Bay Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Grants | Chesapeake Bay Watershed | The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership, is soliciting proposals through the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund to restore water quality and habitats of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and streams. | |
| EPA Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program | All | The Community Change Grants will fund community-driven projects that address climate challenges and reduce pollution while strengthening communities through thoughtful implementation. | Track I will fund approximately 150 large, transformational community-driven investment grants of $10 million – $20 million. Track II will fund approximately 20 meaningful engagement grants of $1 million – $3 million. Grants cannot exceed 3-years in duration. |
| Community Change Equitable Resilience Technical Assistance | Eligible sites for this technical assistance must be in a disaster-prone area and benefit a disadvantaged community. | The Community Change Grant Equitable Resilience technical assistance will provide free design and project development assistance, community engagement, and partnership development workshops that support climate resilience and environmental justice activities in disaster-prone areas. | |
| Clean Water Grant Program | Cumberland | The Clean Water Grant Program (CWGP) provides financial support for “shovel-ready” initiatives that aim to enhance local water quality in Cumberland County. | No minimum or maximum grant award amount. |