Pennsylvania Recreation Grants

This grant provides financial support for nonprofit organizations and government units in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, to implement specific projects, purchase equipment, or make capital improvements that benefit the community.

The All-Terrain Vehicle and Snowmobile grant supports projects focused on the planning, acquisition of land, development, rehabilitation, maintenance, purchase of equipment for maintenance and construction, and the development of educational programs related to ATV and/or snowmobile trails and facilities. Only projects specifically related to ATV or snowmobile endeavors are eligible for submission under this category. The grant is funded by the ATV Management Restricted Account and the Snowmobile Management Restricted Account as authorized by Act 97 of 2016. Although there is no mandatory match requirement for this funding opportunity, applications that include match funding will receive additional consideration. Grant renewed every year. Grant Annual Fall opening/ closing deadlines: opens first business day in August and closes the last business day in September

The Fayette County Tourism Grant Program, administered by GO Laurel Highlands, offers grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 to nonprofit or for-profit businesses in the tourism and hospitality industry in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, for marketing, tourism enhancement, operational expenses, and visitor center operations, with the aim of boosting tourism and economic activity in the region.

The GO Laurel Highlands is offering a tourism grant ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 for marketing, enhancement of attractions, and special events aimed at increasing visitation and economic activity in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, with applications to be submitted by October 4, 2024.

The Trans Resilience Fund is a grant program of Gender Justice Fund to support regional trans communities. Donor Name: Gender Justice Fund State: Pennsylvania County: Bucks County (PA), Chester County (PA), Delaware County (PA), Montgomery County (PA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/21/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Fund uses a participatory grantmaking process in which a committee of trans and non-binary community members sets guidelines and makes funding decisions. The Trans Resilience Fund is a pooled fund supported external funding partners. The 2024 funding partners are: the Claneil Foundation, the Collective Future Fund, the Homeless Assistance Fund, the Patricia Kind Family Foundation, and the Valentine Foundation. Priorities  The grantmaking committee will prioritize: Groups working in Philadelphia Groups serving BIPOC trans communities. Groups with trans and/or BIPOC leadership. Groups serving trans youth and/or disabled and/or elderly trans individuals. Funding Information Applicants may apply for grants of $5,000 or $10,000. Uses of funds  Organizations/ groups may use funds for different purposes, depending on their size and who they serve. Organizations with budgets of under $250,000, who also exclusively serve trans communities can apply to use funds for the following: Direct financial support for trans individuals via food, cash or transportation assistance; covering medical, housing, or utility costs; or payment of other expenses related to health and safety. Providing services to trans individuals. Organizing and advocacy for the trans community. General operating support. Organizations with budgets of under $250,000, who do not exclusively serve trans communities can apply to use funds for the following: Direct financial support for trans individuals via food, cash or transportation assistance; covering medical, housing, or utility costs; or payment of other expenses related to health and safety. Providing services to trans individuals. Organizing and advocacy for the trans community. Organizations with budgets of over $250,000, can ONLY apply for funds to be used for the following: Direct financial support for trans individuals via food, cash or transportation assistance; covering medical, housing, or utility costs; or payment of other expenses related to health and safety. Organizations applying in this category may use 10% of their grant to cover the cost of administering funds. Eligibility Criteria  Applicants must be non-profit groups/organizations (two or more individuals working collectively to provide services to the broader community), not individuals or for-profit entities. Applicants do not have to be incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) organization but must certify that their work meets IRS criteria for funding. Applicants must be located in and serving Philadelphia and/or Chester, Bucks, Montgomery, or Delaware Counties. Both new and established groups/organizations are welcome to apply. Traditional nonprofit organizations as well as grassroots groups, including those with non-hierarchical leadership structures can apply. Applicants who received funding in 2023 are eligible to reapply but MUST complete a report on their previous grant in order to be considered. For more information, visit Gender Justice Fund.

This grant provides multi-year funding to small nonprofit organizations in the Philadelphia area to tackle health, education, environmental, and food system challenges in their communities.

This grant provides funding to support professional development and networking opportunities for teaching artists in the Philadelphia area, enabling them to deliver high-quality, inclusive arts education programs for youth.

The Pennsylvania Water Trails Program Mini Grant, overseen by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) in partnership with the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the National Park Service, aims to address urgent issues on designated water trails that compromise safety or access. With a total of $2000 available, this grant supports projects that can quickly resolve situations like storm-induced damage, navigational obstructions, or critical sign destruction that impedes safe water trail access. Eligible projects must match the grant 1:1 with cash or in-kind services. The grant serves as a last-resort funding source for unforeseen issues affecting Pennsylvania's 28 designated water trails, emphasizing safety and accessibility while fostering recreational opportunities and sustainable natural resource use. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until September 30, 2024, with awards based on urgency and committee discretion.

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.

This program provides financial support to grassroots watershed organizations in Western Pennsylvania for projects focused on water quality monitoring, habitat restoration, and community outreach to protect and restore local watersheds.

This funding opportunity supports organizations in Greater Philadelphia that provide engaging arts education programs for young people aged 5 to 18, fostering creativity and personal growth through partnerships with skilled teaching artists.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for the development, maintenance, and educational initiatives related to motorized trails in Pennsylvania, targeting a wide range of applicants including government agencies, nonprofits, and for-profit entities.

This program provides funding to municipalities, nonprofits, educational institutions, and other organizations in Pennsylvania for the development and improvement of parks, trails, and recreational spaces to enhance community livability and promote conservation.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations that provide enriching summer programs for underserved youth in the Greater Mercer County area, helping to overcome barriers related to economic and social challenges.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania for a variety of charitable projects, including education, health services, social welfare, environmental conservation, and the arts.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and local government units to support projects that improve the community's religious, educational, cultural, recreational, or economic welfare in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

This program provides financial assistance to municipalities in Chester County, Pennsylvania, for improving and developing public parks and recreational trails.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to Pennsylvania municipalities and planning organizations for developing plans that improve safe access for walking, biking, and public transit, particularly in underserved communities.

This fund provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that help meet basic human needs and improve access to education and safe recreational activities for marginalized groups, particularly children, seniors, and individuals with special needs, especially in the wake of the pandemic.

This grant provides funding to organizations for projects that improve local parks and public spaces, promoting environmental sustainability, community well-being, and access for diverse populations.