DCNR Grant Application Round Now Open to Assist Communities with Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Projects

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced that grant applications are now being accepted for recreation and conservation projects in communities across Pennsylvania.

“DCNR grants have a tremendous impact in helping communities with local park acquisition and improvements, trails and river access each year and we expect them to have a greater impact as a result of the increased use of the outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dunn said. “We will continue to assist as many worthy projects as we can to ensure that we retain the new users who have turned to parks, forests and trails in the past two years to help maintain their mental and physical health.”

The 2022 grant application round opened this week and will remain active until 4 p.m., Wednesday, April 6. Last year, $70 million in grants were awarded through the Community Conservation Partnerships Program.

Each grant dollar awarded generally leverages an additional $3 in local, county and private investments, giving every state dollar more power for the public good. Grantees include local governments and recreation and conservation organizations. Funded through DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program, grants benefit planning, acquisition, and development of:

• Public parks

• Recreation areas

• Motorized and non-motorized trails

• River conservation and access

• Streamside forest buffers

• 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.

Funding for Community Conservation Partnerships Program grants comes from several state and federal sources, including:

• Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund

• Environmental Stewardship Fund

• Pennsylvania Heritage Area Program

• Snowmobile and ATV Restricted Revenue Accounts

• Land and Water Conservation Fund

• Recreational Trails Program

DCNR’s grant programs have helped protect more than 180,000 acres across Pennsylvania for outdoor recreation, wildlife habitat, and water quality. One in three local parks in the commonwealth have received DCNR grant funding.

A 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 you in developing a competitive grant application. Contact information is available on the Regional Staff Assignment map.

For more information, visit DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnership Grant Program web page.