Foundation For PA Watersheds Accepting Letters Of Inquiry In Funding For Community-Based Environmental Projects In Raccoon Creek Watershed, Allegheny, Beaver, Washington Counties

On April 23, the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds announced it is now accepting letters of inquiry in funding for community-led efforts to restore, preserve, and protect water quality in the Raccoon Creek Watershed in portions of Allegheny, Beaver and Washington counties.

The deadline for LOIs is September 18.  There is currently $475,000 available for projects.

This funding opportunity is a result of a $2.6 million consent decree penalty settlement following a complaint filed by the  Department of Environmental Protection, PennEnvironment, and Three Rivers Waterkeeper against the now closed BVPV Styrenics, LLC and Styropek USA, Inc. regarding the discharge of polystyrene pellets (nurdles) into Raccoon Creek.  [Read more here.]

The Raccoon Creek Benefit Fund will fund projects in the watershed that protect and restore water and environmental resources. 

Nonprofit organizations, local watershed and friends groups, conservation districts, municipal or government entities, higher educational institutions, and more can now apply for grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000, depending on the type and scale of the project.

“As the steward of these funds, the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds will ensure that the dollars from this settlement are strategically invested directly back into the communities of the Raccoon Creek watershed,” said Deborah Nardone, FPW’s executive director. “These investments are not made in isolation, but instead reinforce decades of conservation work already underway and in collaboration with the numerous organizations and agencies doing excellent work to protect and improve our streams and rivers.”

Funding priorities include projects that:

-- Improve water quality and aquatic habitat in Raccoon Creek and its tributaries. 

-- Address pollution sources, including legacy and ongoing impacts. 

-- Advance AMD/AML remediation, stream restoration, riparian buffers, and green infrastructure. 

-- Support monitoring, data collection, and evaluation tied to restoration outcomes. 

-- Strengthen local organizational capacity to deliver and sustain restoration work. 

-- Protect land for conservation or public access purposes through acquisitions or easements. 

-- Engage stakeholders through outreach, education, and communications that will help protect or improve the Raccoon Creek watershed.

Applications for the Raccoon Creek Benefit Fund will follow the two-step process of FPW’s conservation grants program, with a letter of inquiry (LOI) followed by a full proposal. 

LOIs will be reviewed on a rolling basis; full proposals will follow spring and fall deadlines. 

LOIs are open now and will be accepted for consideration in the fall round of grant funding until Sept. 18, 2026. 

All applications must be submitted using the FPW Grant Portal. 

Applicants are encouraged to discuss potential projects with FPW staff before applying. 

To learn more and review the full grant guidelines, visit the FPW Grant Guidelines webpage or contact FPW’s Executive Director Deborah Nardone at dnardone@thefpw.org or 814-669-4244.

Click Here for the Raccoon Creek announcement.

The Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds is a grantmaking foundation and nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation and protection of Pennsylvania’s water resources. 

Founded in 1994, FPW invests in projects that protect the best and restore the rest of Pennsylvania's streams and watersheds. 

FPW works closely with local communities, government agencies, and conservation organizations to identify and address the most pressing issues facing PA's watersheds. 

Related Articles This Week:

-- In Memoriam: Gilbert Freedman, Tireless Advocate For And Founder Of The Conodoguinet Creek Watershed Assn. In Cumberland County 

-- PA Assn. Of Conservation Districts Celebrates County Conservation District Week - April 26 to May 2  [PaEN] 

-- Essential Utilities, PA Environmental Council Award $60,000 In Grants To Support Projects To Protect Drinking Water In Bucks, Chester, Delaware Counties  [PaEN]  

-- PA American Water Awards 12 Organizations $243,349 In Water And Environment Grants  [PaEN] 

-- Columbia Gas Of PA Awards $50,000 In Environmental Action Grants To 11 Nonprofits  [PaEN] 

-- Susquehanna University, Chesapeake Conservancy Collected 100,000 Live Stakes To Expand Riparian Forest Buffers  [PaEN] 

-- Conservation Efforts Unite: Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay And Joe Jurgielewicz & Son, Ltd. Partner to Create Cleaner Waterways and Lower Environmental Impact  [PaEN]

-- Three Rivers Waterkeeper Announces Intent To Sue Neville Chemical Company For Polluting Ohio River Near Pittsburgh  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension Recruiting Pennsylvania Pond Owners To Join A Community Science Study [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension: Spring Tips For A Watershed-Friendly Yard

-- Penn State Extension: Potential Hidden Substances In The Groundwater You Drink 

-- Penn State Extension Latest Watershed Winds Newsletter: Upcoming Webinars, Workshops  

-- Help Wanted: Armstrong County Conservation District Watershed Specialist [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- Pennsylvania Independent: PA Group Urges Congress To Save Chesapeake Bay Restoration Funding

-- WHYY: Anglers Help Stock White Clay Creek With Trout, Celebrate Improvements To Water Quality In Chester County

-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: Pittsburgh-Area Conservation Projects Get Grants From Open Space Institute To Help Wildlife, Climate

-- TribLive: Lower Burrell Twp. Plans To Replace Sewage Pump Station, 50-Year Old Pipeline To Eliminate Illegal Sewage Discharges Into Chartiers Run 

-- Spotlight PA - Molly Bilinski: The Shapiro Administration’s Unusual Challenge To Proposed ICE Warehouse Detention Centers In Berks, Schuylkill Counties Could Take Years To Play Out

-- PHYS.org: Mapping Microplastic Movement In Rivers And Streams Across Pennsylvania  [Penn State] 

[Posted: April 23, 2026]  PA Environment Digest