Foundation For Pennsylvania Watersheds Awards More Than $300,000 In Conservation Grants; Next Funding Opportunities

On June 9, the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds announced more than $300,000 in grant awards to advance the protection and restoration of Pennsylvania’s waterways. 

Awardees will use the funds to improve water quality and enhance ecosystems across the state through stream restoration, land protection, water quality monitoring, and outreach and education projects. 

Together, these projects are anticipated to conserve more than 600 acres, engage more than 600 volunteers, plant more than 2,000 trees, and improve more than 22 miles of streams.

“Across the state, Pennsylvania nonprofits and conservation districts are working hard to address environmental issues that affect all residents,” said Executive Director Deborah Nardone. “FPW is proud to support these projects, from dam removals and riparian buffer plantings to educating professionals and community members about important issues.” 

FPW is awarding the following 22 conservation project grants for a total of $304,300: 

-- American Rivers, $20,000 – Feasibility study for removing New Cumberland Dam while maintaining municipal water supply.

-- American Rivers, $10,000 – Riffle repair at the former Oakland Dam site to improve paddler safety and fish passage.

-- Berks Nature, $10,000 – Supporting four watershed associations in Berks County through education, restoration, and water quality testing.

-- Centre County PA Senior Environmental Corps, $2,500 – Continued water quality monitoring in Centre County streams.

-- Chesapeake Legal Alliance, $15,000 – Maximizing ecological impact of the $341M Conowingo Dam settlement for the Lower Susquehanna.

-- Clean Air Council, $10,000 – Building capacity of the Naamans, Marcus Hook, and Stoney Creek Watersheds Alliance to protect Delaware River sub-watersheds.

-- ClearWater Conservancy, $25,000 – Conservation easement on 153-acre East Branch Creek property.

-- Eastern PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, $15,000 – Operating AML-Connect, a collaboration platform for Pennsylvania's abandoned mine land reclamation community.

-- Foundation for Sustainable Forests, $10,000 – Fee purchase of 428 forested acres in Mercer and Venango Counties for conservation.

-- Kingsley Township, $10,000 – Bank stabilization along Tionesta Creek to reduce erosion and sediment.

-- Mountain Watershed Association, $15,000 – Purchase of 9.75 forested and wetland acres adjacent to MWA's office in Melcroft.

-- Nanty Glo Water Authority, $20,000 – Source water assessment of Williams Run Reservoir to identify remediation strategies.

-- National Aviary Pittsburgh, $20,000 – Investigating PFAS exposure and food web transfer in Louisiana Waterthrush along headwater streams.

-- National Wildlife Federation, $15,000 – Choose Clean Water Coalition outreach to educate decision-makers on clean water policies statewide.

-- Pennsylvania Trout, Inc., $15,000 – Coldwater Heritage Partnership supporting coldwater ecosystem conservation organizations statewide.

-- Riverlife, $15,000 – Floating wetland gardens on the Allegheny River to improve water quality and support native species.

-- Somerset Conservation District, $20,000 – Improve aquatic passage on North Fork Bens Creek.

-- Watershed Alliance of York, $6,800 – Design and permitting for Myers Mill Dam removal on Codorus Creek.

-- Watersheds of South Pittsburgh, $10,000 – Water quality and habitat monitoring for Saw Mill Run.

-- Western PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, $15,000 – AMD training class for nonprofit watershed community members.

-- Wildlands Conservancy, $10,000 – Riparian buffer restoration along 15 acres of Lehigh Valley waterways.

-- Wildlife Leadership Academy, $15,000 – Training high school youth as Conservation Ambassadors in wildlife and fisheries conservation.

The total combined cost for these projects is more than $6 million, underscoring the power and potential of environmental and conservation partnerships across the Commonwealth.

Unassessed Waters Initiative

Additionally, FPW awarded more than $140,000 to nine colleges, universities, and nonprofits involved in the Unassessed Waters Initiative. 

This partnership between FPW and the Fish and Boat Commission engages colleges, universities, and nongovernment organizations to document the presence or absence of wild trout populations in previously unassessed waterways of Pennsylvania. 

Since its inception, nearly 40,000 stream miles have been assessed, with 17,529 miles of stream upgraded to wild trout waters. 

Raccoon Creek Benefit Fund

Also this year, FPW launched the Raccoon Creek Benefit Fund, a new grant program to support community-led efforts to restore, preserve, and protect water quality in the Raccoon Creek watershed. 

This opportunity is a result of a consent decree following a complaint filed by the Department of Environmental Protection, PennEnvironment, and Three Rivers Waterkeeper regarding the discharge of polystyrene pellets (nurdles) into Raccoon Creek. 

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.

Click Here to learn how to apply.

Next Round Of Grants

FPW provides matching grant funds to both small and large groups and organizations throughout the Commonwealth. 

Through FPW’s grantmaking, assistance is provided to conservation organizations to achieve their restoration goals, while ensuring enough clean water for future generations of Pennsylvania children, families and wildlife. 

The next conservation grant application cycle opens this summer with a first-stage deadline of Sept. 18, 2026. 

To learn more, visit the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds website. 

[Posted: June 9, 2026]  PA Environment Digest