The Brandywine Conservancy is pleased to announce the launch of the Brandywine Creek Greenway’s new Mini Grant Program for 2020-2021. The program is funded by a recent grant of $40,000 from the Pennsylvania DCNR Community Conservation Partnership Program Environmental Stewardship Fund, administered by the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. With these funds, the Brandywine Conservancy will be able to grant awards of $2,000 to $10,000 to projects that will support and advance the goals and objectives of the BCG’s Strategic Action Plan (2014). The grant funding round will open on July 30, 2020, with applications due by Sept. 15, 2020.
The mini-grant program will fund small projects that improve parks, open space, and community trails, and will advance priority conservation and recreation projects identified in the BCG’s Strategic Action Plan, plus other publicly vetted municipal planning documents. Eligible applicants include Pennsylvania non-profit organizations with tax-exempt status 501(c)(3), municipalities, counties, and some educational institutions. Non-profit organizations must submit proof of non-profit status and be registered with the Pennsylvania Department of State Bureau of Charitable Organizations. Mini-grants may not be used to fulfill match requirements for other DCNR funded grant projects. The maximum grant award is $25,000; any amount greater will require approval by DCNR. All projects, related costs, and funding must conform to the guidelines of the PA DCNR Community Conservation Partnership Program.
Important application dates:
- Grant Round Opens: July 30, 2020 (grant application materials will be available on the Brandywine Creek Greenway website)
- Application Deadline: Sept. 15, 2020
- Grant Awards Announced: Nov. 29, 2020
- Contracts executed: Dec. 31, 2020
- Projects Begin: Jan. 1, 2021
- Projects Completed: Dec. 31, 2021
- Final Site Inspections by Mini Grant Local Project Coordinator: January-April 2022
- Final Payments: Upon project completion, satisfactory final site inspection and DCNR approval
“We are very excited that these mini-grants will provide funding for smaller, yet critical, projects that may otherwise be overlooked for traditional sources of funding,” said Ellen Ferretti, Director of the Brandywine Conservancy. “This program reinforces the work of the strong and collaborative partnerships that have been created through the Brandywine Creek Greenway.”
