Notice

Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grants Available

January 19th, 2024

DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grants Available

[Saturday, January 20, 2024]

 The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Department) announces that applications are now being accepted for the 2024 round of Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grants. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation (Bureau).
 The open application period began Tuesday, January 16, 2024, and will end at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Depending on the funding source, eligible applicants include municipalities and appropriate nonprofit organizations in this Commonwealth.
 Applications must be submitted electronically through the Department's Grants portal at https://apps.dcnr.pa.gov/grants . Paper, faxed or e-mailed applications will not be accepted. Grant information, project guidance documents, program policies, applications and instructions are available at the Department's Grants portal.
 A grant application tutorial video is available on the Department's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e_RAvYAg6o
 For assistance with the portal, contact the Department's Grants Customer Service Center, (800) 326-7734, DCNR-Grants@pa.gov.
 Grant assistance from the Department helps communities and organizations in this Commonwealth plan, acquire and develop recreation, park, and trail facilities, and conserve open space.
 The Bureau administers the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, which combines several Federal and State funding sources including the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund, Environmental Stewardship Fund, Snowmobile Restricted Account, All-Terrain Vehicle Restricted Account, Heritage and Other Parks Fund, Pennsylvania Recreational Trails Program and the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
 The Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan 2020—2024 at https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Recreation/PAOutdoorRecPlan identifies the Commonwealth's outdoor recreation priorities. Projects will be selected, in part, on how they align to these priorities. These priorities include:
 Community parks and recreation: Priority projects in this category include projects that help rehabilitate existing parks and those that improve equity in access.
 Land conservation: Priority projects in this category include land conservation projects that conserve and protect critical habitat, climate resilient lands, forested watersheds, wetlands and riparian corridors or create critical connections between public or conservation lands.
 Trails: Priority projects in this category include projects that close identified priority trail gaps and implement the 2020—2024 Pennsylvania Land and Water Trail Network Strategic Plan, available online at http://elibrary.dcnr.pa.gov/GetDocument?docId=3176020&DocName=dcnr_20030 875.pdf    
 Rivers and watershed forestry: Priority projects in this category include projects that enhance public access to or improve, or both, this Commonwealth's waterways.
 Bureau staff are available to assist applicants with developing a competitive application. Staff contact information can be found on the Bureau's web site at http://www.docs.dcnr.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/document/d_001184.pdf
CINDY ADAMS DUNN,