Park Rehabilitation and Development

The Park Rehabilitation and Development grant program supports projects that rehabilitate and develop public parks, recreation facilities, greenways, and river conservation sites. These grants are administered under the authority of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). The program’s goal is to enhance recreational opportunities, support community connectivity to outdoor spaces, and improve environmental sustainability across Pennsylvania. It does so by funding site development projects that improve the quality, accessibility, and function of parks and recreational infrastructure. The program supports three major project types. The core category is Park Rehabilitation and Development (PRD), which funds both indoor and outdoor public parks, recreation, and conservation areas and facilities. Projects may include amenities such as playgrounds, skateparks, ballfields, swimming pools, splash pads, pavilions, and indoor recreational buildings. A second category, Small Community Development (SC), is tailored for Pennsylvania municipalities with a population of 5,000 or fewer, as documented by the most recent U.S. Census. This subset has a lower matching fund requirement and typically focuses on facilities like ADA-accessible playgrounds and pavilions. The third category, Rivers Community Development (RCD), emphasizes projects that improve public access to waterways for recreation or enhance watershed conditions. Applicants must be either county or municipal governments, higher education institutions, other educational institutions, or nonprofits with both 501(c)(3) IRS status and registration with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Charitable Organizations. Eligible project activities include the preparation of site development drawings, specifications, surveys, professional services, design work, and costs associated with construction contracts and materials related to the approved project scope. To apply, organizations must have both a Non-Procurement Vendor Identification Number and a Unique Entity ID (UEI). Applicants are also required to notify both county planning agencies and the municipalities where the project will be located, although formal letters of support are optional. Match funding is required for all project types except under the Small Community program, where match requirements are reduced. Match contributions may include cash, in-kind services, or land donation value, and letters of commitment must be provided when match funding comes from outside sources. Additional application requirements include a detailed cost estimate from a qualified consultant and a comprehensive budget that discloses all cash and non-cash values—lump sum budgets will not be accepted. Applicants must also submit a site development drawing checklist and applicable plans prepared by a licensed architect, landscape architect, or engineer. It is also essential to verify control or ownership of the site where work will be conducted. Applications must be completed and submitted online via the official grant portal. All submissions must be received before 4:00 PM Eastern Time on April 2, 2025. Multiple tutorial videos and guidance documents are available to help applicants navigate the process, including sample timelines and step-by-step instructions.