Partnerships Grants
The goal of the Partnerships Grant Program is to advance collaborative multi-municipal or large-landscape recreation, conservation, and heritage projects.
Funding is available for partnerships projects that help build local, county, regional, and statewide capacity to better develop and manage resources through the creation and implementation of public planning processes.
Eligible applicants include:
Single municipalities intending to establish multi-municipal partnerships
Statewide and regional nonprofit recreation, conservation, and greenways organizations
Regional municipal entities
Pennsylvania’s 12 state-designated Heritage Areas
More information on State and Regional Partnerships grants can be found at the DCNR grants portal.
A brief overview of Partnerships Program project types follows.
Convening, Education, and Training Project Funding
Convening, education, and training projects foster public engagement in our natural and cultural resources though the provision of forums, training, and education programs.
Example projects include:
Educational conferences
Workshops
Publication development
Public forums
Other direct engagements
Special Purpose Planning Project Funding
Special purpose planning projects develop strategic plans through public planning processes.
Example projects include:
Implementation Projects
Implementation projects are non-planning projects that implement recommendations of previously completed plans. Examples include:
Construction activities
Public outreach
Program facilitation
Mini-Grant Project Funding
Partners may request mini-grant funding to develop small grant programs that empower grassroots organizations.
Projects should advance priorities identified through previously completed plans and be consistent with the Partnerships Program Guidance Document and mini-grant management process.
Examples of mini-grant programs include:
Making funds available to implement recommendations of the State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan
Conservation landscape work plan
Heritage Area management action plan
Peer and Circuit Rider: Local Capacity Building Project Funding
Partners may apply for grant funding to help build municipal, multi-municipal, or county capacity to better develop, manage, and promote:
Recreation, park, or trail facilities
Installation and maintenance of green infrastructure
Conservation of our natural resources
Other projects deemed appropriate by DCNR
Two types of local capacity building programs are offered -- the Peer and Circuit Rider programs.
Peer Program
The Peer Program is available to assist municipal entities with hiring a professional consultant to study specialized small-scale issues.
Up to $18,000 can be made available to hire a peer -- typically a park and recreation professional -- to work in close collaboration with community leaders to develop an action plan.
Circuit Rider Program
This Circuit Rider Program provides grant funds for county or regional organizations to hire a professional, full-time staff person.
The circuit rider’s purpose is to initiate new regional programs and services that position sponsoring entities to more efficiently and effectively meet their recreation, park, greenways, open space, and/or natural resource and community conservation needs.
The annual grant funding decreases over a period of four years with the understanding and intention that the sponsoring organization.