Apply for a Conservation Excellence Grant

The Conservation Excellence Grant (CEG) Program gives money through grants, loans, tax credits, or sometimes a combination of all three. CEG gives money to projects through local conservation districts. It's a reimbursement grant, meaning you get paid back for costs. The amount of funding available depends how much you spend on your project, with a maximum limit of $250,000. There are also small grants for projects under $25,000. The Commission chooses who gets grants based on priority and guidelines.

Costs that may be covered include: 

• Project design, engineering and associated planning costs.
• Project construction or installation provided by a contractor, including labor provided by the applicant.
• Equipment, materials and other components of eligible projects.
• Post construction inspections.

To apply, you can fill out a CEG Application and submit to your local County Conservation District Office. 

Conservation districts give priority to complete applications based on:

• Important places in the Chesapeake Bay Phase 3 Watershed Plan:

  1. Tier 1: Lancaster and York counties
  2. Tier 2: Bedford, Center, Cumberland, Franklin, and Lebanon counties
  3. Tier 3: Adams, Bradford, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lycoming, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry, Schuylkill, Snyder, Susquehanna, and Tioga counties, all other counties

• How much you've planned and got help for the project.
• If you're okay using different kinds of money, like grants, loans, or your own.

For more information, visit the CEG Best  Management Practice List. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Conservation Program Specialist Eric Cromer by email at ecromer@pa.gov or by calling 223-666-2556.