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Recreation for all.

Last Call for Community Conservation Partnerships Program, ATV, and Snowmobile Grant Applications
Time is running out to apply for DCNR’s annual recreation and conservation grants through the Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2).
The deadline to submit applications is just two weeks away: 4:00 PM on Wednesday, April 3.
The spring All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) and Snowmobile grant round also closes soon, on Friday, March 29.
Applications for both programs can be submitted through DCNR’s electronic Grants Customer Service Portal.
If you have last-minute questions about your grant application, please contact your DCNR Bureau of Recreation and Conservation regional advisor.
DCNR Bureau of Recreation and Conservation regional advisors contact map

Match-Free Tree Planting Grants Available for Disadvantaged Communities
a woman planting a tree
DCNR has federal funding available to help disadvantaged communities plant trees—no match required.
The Urban and Community Forestry grants will award up to $4 million for projects thanks to funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and the U.S. Forest Service.
The grants require no match and will support communities with equitable access to trees and the benefits they provide.
“Disadvantaged communities” for these grants are those identified on the federal Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool and/or Pennsylvania EnviroScreen.
Other communities can apply for Urban and Community Forestry grants with a 20 percent match requirement.
To get started, contact DCNR’s urban and community forestry experts using this form or by phone at 717-787-2703.
Like other C2P2 grants, applications are due at 4:00 PM on Wednesday, April 3.
To apply, use the “Community and Watershed Forestry” grant opportunity on the Grants Customer Service Portal.

Featured Project: Making Erie Safer for Migrating Birds
hand holding a bird that died after it collided with glass
Many people don’t realize that glass buildings are a leading threat to birds. Yet every year, as many as one billion birds in the United States die from colliding with glass, according to the American Bird Conservancy.
DCNR is partnering with the Erie Bird Observatory, Presque Isle Audubon Society, and the Tamarack Wildlife Center to help Erie, Pennsylvania become a little safer for birds.
The BirdSafe Erie Program works with volunteers to rehabilitate injured birds and reduce future fatalities through monitoring, community outreach, and promoting best management practices.
DCNR supports the program with a grant from the Environmental Stewardship Fund.
Bird-glass collisions are most noticeable during spring and fall migrations. At these times, migrating birds pass through urban areas in higher concentrations. They can be attracted to the light reflecting off glass buildings, as well as artificial lights and skyglow around buildings.
During the spring and fall of 2023, more than 30 volunteers with the BirdSafe Erie Program recorded details related to bird mortality such as species, location, and context. The volunteers discovered more than 170 dead or injured birds and two red bats. The birds belonged to 45 different species.
BirdSafe Erie is one of several efforts across Pennsylvania and the United States working to reduce bird collisions and encourage more bird-friendly building designs. The National Audubon Society, for example, manages a Lights Out program, which encourages building managers to turn off excess lighting during migration months to help birds find safe passage.
In Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh have all become part of Audubon’s Lights Out Network, hoping to make migration safer for birds.

Grant Application Tip
dollar sign
The DCNR Community Conservation Partnerships Program is accepting applications through 4:00 PM on Wednesday, April 3. In each e-news leading up to the deadline, we’ll share a tip to increase your chances of a successful application.
This issue’s tip: If you’re applying for a development grant, make sure your site development drawing meets DCNR requirements.
Development projects, such as park rehabilitations, are the most common applications we receive. To be considered “ready to go” for funding, these applications must include a site development drawing that shows property boundaries, existing conditions, and proposed scope of work elements.
If your application is missing this drawing, or if your drawing doesn’t meet DCNR standards, your project is unlikely to be funded.
Check out the Park Site Development Drawing Checklist (DOC) for a list of what your drawing must include.
Site development drawings must be prepared by a licensed professional such as a landscape architect, architect, or engineer who is authorized by Pennsylvania law to seal such documents. A seal is not required at the time of application.

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