DCNR Offering Conservation Partnership Grant Workshops In November

In partnership with the PA Recreation and Park Society, the Department of Conservation and Resources will again be offering free, in-person grant workshops at six locations across Pennsylvania in November.

Free of charge, the grants workshops will offer a sound introduction to the department’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program, popularly known as “C2P2.” Also covered: land acquisitions, community park planning, community park development and trails.

DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation grant program for statewide, regional and local recreation and conservation projects opens January 20, 2016, and closes April 13, 2016.

Grants are funded through a variety of sources, including the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund; Environmental Stewardship Fund; PA Recreational Trails Program; and the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

“These workshops are designed to answer all the questions applicants have when they consider seeking available DCNR grants for recreation, conservation, and community-based projects,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “Participants will receive guidance and updates on our on-line application process and how to create a competitive application. Attendees also will receive information on eligible applicants and projects; learn about the documents required for various types of projects; and have the opportunity to interact with Bureau of Recreation and Conservation staff.

“Borough leaders, municipal officials, consultants, land trusts, board members, trail managers, and park and recreation professionals all are encouraged to attend.”

Regional workshops will begin at 9:30 a.m. and close at 12:30 p.m. Registration begins at 9 a.m.  Workshops will be held:

— November 2: Camp Hill Borough Building: Prosser Hall, 2145 Walnut St., Camp Hill;

— November 4: Pine Community Center, 100 Pine Park Drive, Wexford;

— November 5: Quality Inn Event & Banquet Center, 1411 Liberty St., Franklin;

— November 12: Luzerne County Community College, Building 10, Educational Conference Center, 1333 South Prospect St., Nanticoke;

— November 17: The Historic Aldie Mansion, 85 Old Dublin Pike, Doylestown; and

— November 18: The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, 215 Innovation Blvd., State College.

"I’m hoping applicants will view these sessions as building blocks in DCNR’s blueprints that lead many a borough, township or watershed group from dreaming about yesterday’s plans to implementing tomorrow’s improvements,” Dunn said. “They offer continuing refinements in a process that’s designed to make grant applications easier.”

Would a new regional recreation complex best serve a mushrooming population? What’s the first step in preserving one of the last tracts of open land within the borough limits, or linking to your neighboring municipality downstream with a greenway that parallels your rebounding waterway?

“The answer, of course, always revolves around funding, and DCNR again stands ready with potential grants to guide that special borough project from the conceptual stage to the enjoyment phase,” Dunn said.

Attendees will be provided in-depth information on projects eligible for DCNR grant funds; learn how to develop a competitive “ready-to-go” application; learn about matching fund requirements and other sources of funding for the match; receive guidance and updates on the eGrants application process, and the documents required for each project type; learn what’s new in the DCNR Bureau of Recreation and Conservation; and have an opportunity to interact with DCNR Regional Advisors and grant project managers.

Pre-registration is required and will be open soon. Visit DCNR’s Calendar of Events webpage to register by looking for the date of the workshop you want to attend.

For additional information, contact Linda Manning by sending email to: linmanning@pa.gov, or call 717-783-4736.

(Reprinted from DCNR’s August 26 Resource newsletter.  Click Here to sign up for your own copy (bottom of the page).)