Pennsylvania grants for City or township governments

The Susquehanna Greenway Mini-Grant program, funded by the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership, offers $1,000 to $10,000 grants to public entities and 501(c)(3) nonprofits in Pennsylvania for projects promoting education, outdoor engagement, wayfinding, trails, active transportation, and placemaking within the Susquehanna Greenway corridor.

The Vision Partnership Program (VPP) – Cash Grant is a grant available to Chester County municipalities and multi-municipal groups seeking to improve their planning programs while achieving consistency with and implementation of the goals, objectives, recommendations, and map of Landscapes3. Donor Name: Chester County State: Pennsylvania County: Chester County (PA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 09/25/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Program Purpose Recognizing the benefits of grant awards to municipal planning projects, the Chester County Board of Commissioners established VPP in 1996 to promote cooperation between local governments and the County while implementing Landscapes, the County’s Comprehensive Plan.  The program was revised in 2010 to reflect Landscapes2 and revised again in 2019 to reflect Landscapes3. The purpose of VPP is to advance consistency with and implementation of the county comprehensive plan while accomplishing impactful, lasting, and positive benefits for municipalities through innovative municipal planning; multi-municipal planning; and new and revised municipal plans, ordinances, and planning studies that address opportunities and issues of community concern. Funding Information Plans or Ordinances Adopt $50,000 plus $10,000 for each additional municipality. Planning Studies Accept $30,000 plus $5,000 for each additional municipality. Eligible Costs The following costs are considered eligible for reimbursement if they are included in and directly related to the project scope of work attached to the executed grant contract: Professional planning consultant fees; Data collection and analysis; Mapping and graphics; Monthly duplicating costs of deliverables; Mailing costs, such as for mailings to municipal residents, not to exceed five (5) percent of the total eligible costs for the project; Review of draft materials by non-planning professionals, such as attorneys or engineers, not to exceed ten (10) percent of the total eligible costs for the project (note: this must be described specifically in the project scope of work); Travel costs, such as mileage for required meetings, not to exceed two (2) percent of the total eligible costs for the project; and Publication of the adopted document, up to thirty (30) copies. Eligible Projects  Comprehensive Plan Open Space, Park, and Recreation Plan (to include a greenway plan) Zoning Ordinance and Amendments (to include amendments specific to topic areas such as agriculture, historic resources, natural resources, housing, traditional neighborhood development, form based code, transfer of development rights, and establishing mixed-use, diverse, walkable communities) Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and Amendments (to include amendments specific to topic areas such as bicyclist/pedestrian circulation, natural and cultural resource protection, woodland inventories, and forestation/woodland management plans) Official Map and Ordinance Urban Center Revitalization Plan Resource Protection/Stewardship Plan (addressing topics such as open space, natural resources, parks, scenic resources, historic and cultural resources) Environmental and Community Sustainability/Resilience Plan/Study (to include energy conservation, clean energy transition) Community Design Guide (addressing topics such as housing, historic resources, and villages) Village Master Plan Heritage Interpretation Plan (in accordance with Preserving Our Places, CCPC, 1998) Historic Resource Survey (in accordance with PHMC standards) Housing Plan/Study Economic Development Study Transportation Corridor Plan/Study Streetscape Master Plan Multimodal Plan/Study Trail Feasibility Study Plans/Ordinances that support transition to renewable or alternative energy Agricultural Economic Development Plan Eligibility Criteria  Meeting eligibility requirements is not a guarantee of grant funding under the Vision Partnership Program. Eligible Applicants  The VPP cash grant program is open to all Chester County municipalities which have endorsed or acknowledged Landscapes3. Eligible applicants include a single municipality or a multi-municipal group, which may consist of two (2) or more contiguous municipalities or two (2) or more municipalities when located in the same school district. The application shall identify and be submitted by a lead municipality in the case of a multimunicipal group application. To ensure proper grant administration and promote successful completion of projects, municipalities are encouraged to complete VPP projects funded under previous rounds before applying for additional VPP funding. However, the Chester County Planning Commission may consider approving municipalities to undertake more than one VPP funded project at a time on a case-by-case basis. Municipalities involved in a multi-municipal comprehensive plan shall not be eligible for VPP funding to undertake a full comprehensive plan update at the same time as the contract term of the multi-municipal plan. Partial updates to a specific comprehensive plan section, such as the historic resources plan, may be considered on a case-by-case basis. General Project Eligibility  The project shall advance one or more of the Landscapes3 goals and objectives, and implement one or more of the Landscapes3 recommendations at the municipal or multimunicipal level. Projects enabled by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC), Act 247, as amended, such as comprehensive plans (or elements thereof) or ordinances, shall demonstrate compliance with the requirements of the MPC. Projects not adopted under the provisions of the MPC are defined as “Planning Studies” for the purposes of VPP. General project types that may be eligible include plans, ordinances, ordinance amendments, and planning studies. Projects shall be supported by a municipal or multi-municipal comprehensive plan that was adopted within the prior ten (10) years, unless the municipality has undergone the formal review process as outlined in Section 301(c) of the MPC or the applicant provides documentation identifying why the urgency of the proposed project supersedes the need for an update of their comprehensive plan. For more information, visit Chester County.

The 2024 Parks, Fields, Trails Grant, funded by the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority, offers $10,000 to $100,000 for capital projects that improve public parks, athletic fields, and trails in Erie County, Pennsylvania, aiming to promote healthy lifestyles, enhance local tourism, and rejuvenate neighborhoods, with a focus on projects that provide social, educational, cultural, health, recreation, and/or economic benefits to residents.

This program provides financial support to municipalities, businesses, schools, healthcare institutions, and non-profits in Centre County, PA, to improve recycling education and material collection efforts.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for individuals, non-profits, and municipalities to create arts and culture projects that positively impact the community in Lackawanna County, PA.

The Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority in Pennsylvania is offering a reimbursement grant of $10,000 to $100,000 for projects that improve recycling education, increase recycling collection, and reduce contamination, with priority given to non-traditional recycling, community space recycling, special event recycling, and school recycling, open to municipalities, schools, non-profits, businesses, and refuse haulers subcontracted by CCRRA.

The Lackawanna County Department of Arts and Culture in Pennsylvania is offering a grant ranging from $1000 to $10,000 for projects that enhance arts and culture in the community, with funds usable for artist fees, supplies, marketing, technology, and rental fees, open to individuals, non-profits, municipalities, and churches (for non-religious activities).

The Creative Sector Flex Fund provides support to eligible applicants that provide consistent annual levels of artistic programming and/or arts services in Pennsylvania. Donor Name: Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council State: Pennsylvania County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/02/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year Details: One application per applicant per year may be submitted. Eligible uses of funds are flexible, including the support of applicants’ administrative, programmatic, and project-related expenses.  Depending on the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts’ (PCA) budget and availability of funds, grant amounts will be $5,000 per applicant.  Annual grants are not guarantee For the purposes of the Creative Sector Flex Fund Application, applicants are classified by either being an Arts Organization or an Arts Program of a Non-Arts Organization. Arts Organization – An eligible nonprofit corporation whose mission is to create, perform, present, promote or serve the arts sector (e.g., symphonies, arts councils, theatres, etc).  Arts Program of Non-Arts Organization – A solely arts-related program of a larger, eligible, nonprofit corporation or unit of government whose mission is not solely arts-related (e.g., charitable or community service organization) Grant Activity Period January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025.  Eligibility Criteria Applicants must:  Be a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation, or a unit of local government (counties, cities, boroughs, townships, and municipal authorities). Pre-K -12 public, private and parochial schools including all charter schools are NOT eligible. (K-12 schools should contact the Arts in Education Program of the PCA for other opportunities).  Be located in Pennsylvania, except for nonprofit, tax-exempt corporations acting as a fiscal sponsor on behalf of an unincorporated group or not-for-profit limited liability company (LLC) that is located in Pennsylvania.  Be registered with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Corporations, except for local governments and fiscal sponsors.  Have a history of at least TWO years of consistent arts programming in Pennsylvania. Have an annual average arts revenue of $10,000 to $200,000. PPA Partners determine revenue size by a two-year average demonstrated by:  Arts Organization: most recent form 990 of the U.S. Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service  Arts Program of Non-Arts Organization or whose 990 is a postcard: applicant’s board/committee approved, arts-specific program financial statement from the most recently completed TWO fiscal years.  The program financial statement must detail program revenue, including contributed and earned income and income realized from investments, as applicable, and expenses. In-kind is not included. For more information, visit Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.

The Community Giving Foundation is seeking applications for its Healthy Workplace Grant program to encourage happy, healthy teams within nonprofit organizations. Donor Name: Community Giving Foundation State: Pennsylvania County: Columbia County (PA), Luzerne County (PA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 08/29/2024 Size of the Grant: Less than $1000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Grants can be used to purchase supplies/equipment, programming, professional development, etc., to boost the mental and physical health of your team. The goal of the application process is to encourage creative methods for increasing health and positivity in your office. Funding Information Grants will be awarded in amounts ranging from $200-1,000.  Eligibility Criteria All 501(c) and government nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply, regardless of whether they have a current or pending grant with the Foundation. The service area for this grant round is the Berwick Health and Wellness Fund service area: Columbia County Boroughs: Berwick Borough, Benton Borough, Briar Creek Borough, Stillwater Borough. Columbia County Townships: Benton Township, Briar Creek Township, Fishing Creek Township, Mifflin Township, North Centre Township, South Centre Township. Luzerne County Boroughs: Berwick Borough, Conyngham Borough, Nescopeck Borough, New Columbus Borough, Shickshinny Borough. Luzerne County Townships: Butler Township, Conyngham Township, Hollenback Township, Hunlock Township, Huntington Township, Nescopeck Township, Salem Township, Sugarloaf Township, Union Township. For more information, visit Community Giving Foundation.

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) is offering a grant of $2000 for projects that address urgent, unforeseen situations on designated water trails, with the aim of creating recreational opportunities, supporting sustainable use of natural resources, and improving access to Pennsylvania Water Trails.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to public entities and nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania for projects that enhance public access to waterways, ensuring they remain open and free for community use for 25 years.

The William Penn Foundation is seeking applications for its Climate, Environmental Justice, and Infrastructure Grants to support efforts to access available federal funding for climate, environmental justice, and infrastructure for the Philadelphia region (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties). Donor Name: William Penn Foundation State: Pennsylvania County: Bucks County (PA), Chester County (PA), Delaware County (PA), Montgomery County (PA), Philadelphia County (PA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/01/2024 Size of the Grant: Not Available Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: The Foundation is focusing solely on efforts to access federal funding for climate, environmental justice, and infrastructure. With that understanding, there are few limitations on the project designs or applicants’ approach to securing such funding. For example, proposals may focus on project development, engaging technical or legal assistance, communications, or other ways to advance the objective. Proposals may seek to make change on a regionwide or more localized scale. Funding Information WPF has allocated up to $3.5 million to award to organizations that respond to this RFP. There is no minimum that organizations may request. The maximum that organizations can receive from WPF through this RFP is $1,000,000. Funding Information 2 years. Eligibility Criteria  Applicants must be recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as 501(c)3 public charities or operate under a public charity fiduciary. Public charities include community-based organizations, schools and educational institutions, and other types of public-serving groups. Government entities are also eligible to apply. For-profit entities are not eligible to apply for funding. Applicants do not need to be physically located in the Philadelphia region (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties) but the work proposed must aim to access federal funding for the Philadelphia region.  Organizations with a current WPF grant that is funding work related to this RFP are not eligible to apply for more funding for the same project(s). For more information, visit WPF.

The William Penn Foundation seeks to support efforts that will increase confidence in the responsiveness and accountability of city government. Donor Name: William Penn Foundation State: Pennsylvania County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 08/01/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: The Foundation is most interested in prioritizing projects that will positively impact communities that have historically been underrepresented, including people of color, immigrants, people living in poverty, members of disability communities, and others who lack access. The Foundation recognizes that there are many different approaches that could be used to advance the objective stated above. As examples, this could include projects to empower residents with the knowledge and skills to advocate for their neighborhoods, projects to enable city agencies to better engage residents and business owners in setting policy and making decisions, or projects to increase transparency and public awareness. Funding Information WPF has allocated $1.5 million to advance this objective at this time. There is no minimum or maximum that organizations may request, but the most competitive proposals will likely be those with requests of $250,000 or less. Project Period Projects ranging from 15 -18 months. Eligibility Criteria Applicants must be recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as 501(c)3 public charities or operate under a public charity fiduciary. Public charities include community-based organizations, schools and educational institutions, and other types of public-serving groups. Government entities are also eligible to apply. Applicants must have strong ties within Philadelphia and a history of successful work in the city. Proposed projects must occur in Philadelphia. Organizations with a current WPF grant that is funding work related to this RFP are not eligible to apply for more funding for the same project(s). For more information, visit WPF.

The York County Community Foundation is offering a three-year grant of $100,000 to $500,000 for municipalities, county agencies, school districts, and non-profit organizations in York County, Pennsylvania, to preserve and protect open spaces, natural habitats, and waterways through land acquisition, planning studies, and ordinance assistance, with a focus on public access, recreational opportunities, and natural resource protection.

This funding opportunity provides $5,000 to small arts organizations in Pennsylvania with annual revenues between $10,000 and $200,000, allowing them to cover various expenses and enhance their community impact through artistic programming.

This program provides $5,000 grants to small arts organizations in Pennsylvania with annual revenues between $10,000 and $200,000 to support their administrative and project-related expenses.

This funding opportunity provides $5,000 to small arts organizations in specific Pennsylvania counties to help cover various operational and project-related expenses, fostering growth and community impact.

This funding opportunity provides $5,000 to small arts organizations in Pennsylvania with annual revenues between $10,000 and $200,000 to help cover various operational and project-related expenses.

This funding opportunity provides $5,000 to eligible arts organizations in Pennsylvania with annual revenues between $10,000 and $200,000 to support various operational and programmatic expenses, promoting community impact and inclusivity.

This funding opportunity provides $5,000 to small arts organizations in Pennsylvania with annual revenues between $10,000 and $200,000, allowing them to address various administrative and programmatic needs to enhance their community impact.