Community and Watershed Forestry Program

The Community and Watershed Forestry Grant is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) through its Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. This funding program is part of DCNR’s efforts to enhance local conservation and recreation by offering technical and financial assistance to communities and non-profit entities. The Community and Watershed Forestry Program focuses on implementing riparian forest buffers, converting lawn areas to native habitat, and supporting urban tree planting efforts. These initiatives are designed to promote sustainable land management practices and contribute to long-term ecological health throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The primary goal of the grant is to support projects that involve the design, planting, and establishment of riparian buffers, upland forests, native meadows, and community tree projects. These can include both conventional and multifunctional riparian buffers. Multifunctional buffers provide ecological benefits while also allowing for the sustainable harvesting of products such as nuts, berries, and woody biomass. This grant opportunity also encompasses funding for Urban and Community Forestry efforts, including capacity building and implementation projects to improve tree cover in urban environments. The minimum grant award is $50,000, and applicants are required to provide a 20% match, which can be fulfilled through either cash or non-cash contributions. Eligible costs under the grant include contracted services, personnel, construction, outreach materials, and administrative overhead, among others. Notably, up to 20% of the grant funds may be used for post-planting establishment activities for projects completed within the last five years. However, certain costs such as application preparation, fundraising, and unrelated public relations are considered ineligible. To apply for this funding opportunity, applicants must be either municipalities, municipal agencies, authorized nonprofit organizations (with IRS 501(c)(3) status and PA Bureau of Charitable Organizations registration), or institutions of higher education. All applicants undertaking riparian buffer or lawn conversion projects must be willing to enter into a landowner agreement with each participating landowner, ensuring a minimum of 25 years of maintenance. Urban and Community Forestry applicants must establish stewardship programs to support the survivability of tree plantings. Applications are submitted through DCNR’s online grant portal and must be received by 4:00 PM on April 2, 2025. The program is part of DCNR’s annual C2P2 (Community Conservation Partnerships Program) grant cycle and is expected to recur yearly. Evaluation of applications is competitive and based on the scope, methodology, stewardship plans, and budget. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact regional advisors or DCNR Watershed Forestry Staff for technical assistance, including help with site design, species selection, and public engagement. After an award is granted, the grantee will receive a commitment letter followed by a formal grant agreement. Upon execution of this agreement, the grantee may request up to 50% of the funds in advance, with subsequent disbursements provided as project milestones are met. All installations must meet applicable local, state, and federal standards, and grant-funded practices may not be removed without prior approval from DCNR. For more information, inquiries can be directed to the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation at (717) 772-3319.