Capacity Building for Trail Organizations Mini Grant Program

The Capacity Building for Trail Organizations Mini Grant Program is administered by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, which received $50,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources through the Community Conservation Partnership Program. The state funding is provided through the Environmental Stewardship Fund administered by the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. The initiative is intended to strengthen the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of local partners by improving organizational capacity, trail management practices, user experiences, and community engagement. The program will consider mini grants from $2,000 to $10,000 for projects that support and advance its capacity-building priorities. Examples include organizational planning, staff and volunteer training, volunteer recruitment, accessibility assessments, community outreach, mapping and digital trail guides, marketing and communications, partnership building, data collection, GIS mapping, trail asset inventories, and minor infrastructure or non-routine maintenance improvements such as benches, bike racks, repair stations, hazardous tree removal, trail rerouting, and trailhead amenities. Projects must conform to applicable DCNR C2P2 guidelines. Projects that advance recommendations in the NEPA Trails Assessing Connections and Community in Northeastern Pennsylvania report receive priority. Every grant requires a match equal to 20 percent of the total project cost, and the total project cost cannot exceed $50,000. Match may consist of cash, eligible in-kind services, or a combination. Cash match cannot originate from DCNR funding, and in-kind match cannot originate from a DCNR-funded project. Municipal labor and professional services may be valued using the applicable hourly billable rate, while volunteer in-kind service is currently valued at $31.80 per hour. All match must occur during the contracted grant period, and applicants should provide proof of match commitment. Grant funds and match cannot be used retroactively for work undertaken before the grant award. Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, municipalities, municipal agencies, school districts, colleges, and universities. Nonprofit applicants must provide current proof of IRS 501(c)(3) status and a certificate demonstrating registration with the Pennsylvania Department of State Bureau of Charitable Organizations. A nonprofit unable to provide the required documentation must use a qualifying entity as its fiscal agent. Eligible projects must be located in Bradford, Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne, or Wyoming County. Applicants must provide a realistic budget compliant with DCNR requirements, document the required match, and provide letters of support or commitment from partners supplying match. Applications are completed through Submittable and may be worked on over multiple sessions, with applicants instructed to save their work as they proceed. Collaboration with project partners is available within the application. Before final submission, applicants must answer all application questions, complete the budget worksheet, and upload required documentation. Applications are ranked by a review committee using a 50-point framework covering project need for 10 points, alignment with program priorities for 10 points, partner engagement for 5 points, goals, activities, and measurable outcomes for 15 points, and budget quality and documented match for 10 points. Projects may earn up to 5 additional bonus points for unique or innovative qualities. The review committee may request additional information when necessary for ranking. The grant round opened August 24, 2026, and applications are due October 30, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Grant awards are expected to be announced in mid-December 2026. Projects begin January 4, 2027 and must be completed by December 1, 2027. Grantees must submit a mid-grant progress report and, at close-out, a final financial report with expenditure documentation, a final Success Story using a PEC template, and applicable project deliverables. Project and content questions may be directed to Rachael Stark at rstark@pecpa.org or 570.285.8020. Technical application questions may be directed to support@submittable.com.

Clearly explain project need and alignment with Capacity Building for Trail Organizations priorities; define implementable and measurable goals, activities, and measures of success; engage partners and clearly identify their roles; document and secure the required local match; provide a complete, realistic budget compliant with DCNR guidelines; explain unique or innovative qualities to compete for up to 5 bonus points; priority is given to projects advancing recommendations in the NEPA Trails Assessing Connections and Community in Northeastern Pennsylvania report.