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FUNDING RESOURCES

PA Water Trails Mini-grant

The Pennsylvania Water Trails Mini-grant program is funded by Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. All types of projects that increase access to Pennsylvania’s water trails, support the PA Water Trail Program’s eight program principals, and have a one-year time frame will be considered. Any project on or for a designated Pennsylvania Water Trail is eligible to receive funds from this mini-grant program; applicants do not have to be the water trail’s manager. Typically, the grant period opens in mid-April and closes in early July with awardees selected by August. Mini-grants are capped at $5,000 and require a 1:1 match.

Boating Facility Grant Program

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) created the Boating Facility Grant Program to provide grants for the planning, acquisition, development, expansion and rehabilitation of public boating facilities located on the waters of the Commonwealth. The goal of the program is to ensure Pennsylvania’s recreational boaters have the highest quality boating facilities. Projects require a 1:1 match. The applications are typically due in December, and awards are announced in April. Eligible applicants are municipalities and non-profits.

National Water Trail System

The National Water Trail System's toolboxes have several resources to explore for funding ideas and advice.

Western PA Conservancy Canoe Access Development Fund

CADF projects focus on rivers and streams where people can canoe or kayak, with an emphasis on easier whitewater suitable for novice paddlers. The best reference for identifying these types of waterways remains the “Canoeing Guide to Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia,” Applicants include nonprofit watershed and conservation organizations, community groups, municipalities and more. Grant awards range in amounts up to $4,000 per site and can be used in a variety of ways, including improving an existing access, developing a new river access or adding nearby parking areas.

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