Press release by Department of Conservation and Natural Resources posted November 13, 2024
Photo credit to DCNR

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) recently announced awards for the 2024 Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) grants.

In all, the program awarded $79.4 million in grants to more than 300 recreation and conservation projects across Pennsylvania.

Projects recommended for funding have site locations in 57 of 67 Pennsylvania counties.

The grants include funding to help:

  • Develop 25 new local parks
  • Rehabilitate 85 existing local parks
  • Permanently protect more than 6,800 acres for critical habitat and outdoor recreation

Another $10 million will support trails, including nine projects that will help address identified Priority Trail Gaps.

Thanks to increased state and federal funding, $10.5 million will support tree planting and lawn-to-habitat conversions—an amount seven times higher than was awarded in 2023.

Funding for C2P2 grants comes from multiple state and federal sources. The three largest are:

  1. Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund
  2. Land and Water Conservation Fund
  3. Environmental Stewardship Fund

Separately, DCNR also recently announced $2.6 million in federal funding from the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program. That funding will help the City of Reading replace the Hillside Pool and the City of Scranton enhance Weston Field.