PACD is accepting mini-grant applications up to $3,000 to implement educational and outreach activities that support and extend the work of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Projects should focus on CREP enrollment, re-enrollment, CREP maintenance, or riparian buffers.

Project examples:

• Walkabouts/field days
• Farmer and landowner workshops
• Riparian buffer workshops
• Workshop series with several topics
• Developing educational materials like brochures, flyers, fact sheets, or even billboards
• Hire interns to provide CREP outreach

Districts are encouraged to work with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA’s Farm Service Agency, Pheasants Forever, PA Game Commission, Stroud Water Research Center, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, PA Department of Environmental Protection, and other CREP partners to set up workshops and other projects!

The extended application deadline is April 8, 2022. Click here for the application and guidelines: https://pacd.org/?page_id=23193

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-grant Program is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and with additional support from USDA-NRCS.

The Wayne Conservation District held a workshop through PACD’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Mini-grant Program for Conservation Districts. The district educated STEM teachers on soil health and nonpoint source pollution. The event was held at a local farm that utilizes a lot of the practices that were taught. A rainfall simulator was also used to demonstrate how soil reacts to rainfall.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Pennsylvania’s County Conservation Districts were awarded over $60,000 through the Non-point Source (NPS) Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-Grant Program. With this funding, thirty-four pollution reduction projects will take place in twenty-five counties. These projects promote water pollution prevention activities and will take place through May 2023.

Conservation District responsible for grant activities:	Project Title:	Amount Funded:
Allegheny	Municipal Outreach for Prevention of NPS Pollution	$2,000
Armstrong	Backyard Bioswale Demonstration Project	$2,000
Beaver	Agricultural Gathering and Manure Management	$1,356
Beaver	Stormwater Help for Homeowners	$1,170
Berks	Using Cover Crops to Prevent Nonpoint Source Pollution Workshop	$2,000
Bradford	Bradford County Outreach and Education Project	$2,000
Clarion	AMD Treatment System Field Tour	$2,000
Clearfield	Cover Crop and Nutrient Management Field Day	$2,000
Clinton	102/105 E&S Workshops	$1,500
Clinton	Manure Management Plan Workshop	$1,500
Columbia	NPS Pollution Prevention for Homeowners	$2,000
Cumberland	Upper Allen Township Rain Garden, Phase 2	$2,000
Dauphin	Stormwater Management Strategies for Homeowners Workshop	$2,000
Elk	NPS Pollution Prevention Workshop Series	$1,995
Franklin	Ag Education Event- Conservation Farm Tour or Ag BMP Meeting	$2,000
Jefferson	Grazing Field Day	$2,000
Juniata	Dirt to Soil	$1,975
Juniata	What’s At Stake Field Day	$1,215
Lancaster	Erosion & Sediment Control Plan (E&S Plan) for Small Projects Development Guide	$2,000
Lebanon	2023 Rain Barrel Workshop	$2,000
Lebanon	Conservation on the Ground Field Day: Equine Edition	$1,500
Lehigh	Suburban Agriculture	$2,000
Lehigh	Sustainable Backyard Workshop	$2,000
McKean	Promoting Healthy Watersheds	$2,000
McKean	Promoting Best Management Practices Tours	$1,500
Snyder	2023 Farmers Winter Meeting	$1,000
Snyder	Agricultural Plan Writing Workshops	$1,000
Snyder	Soil Health Event & Bucket	$2,000
Tioga	Women in Ag	$2,000
Tioga	Rain Barrel Workshop 2022	$1,327
Venango	How To Manage A Sustainable Equine Farm	$2,000
Warren	Streams, Trees, You, and Me	$2,000
Washington	Washington County Agriculture Outreach Events	$2,000
Westmoreland	Forest Best Management Practices Workshop	$1,200

Click here to read summaries of the projects. 

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

PACD is now accepting mini-grant applications for up to $3,000 to implement educational and outreach activities that support and extend the work of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Projects should focus on CREP enrollment, re-enrollment, and/or CREP maintenance.

The guidelines and application are posted here. Questions should be directed to Holly Miller at hmiller@pacd.org.

Financial and other support for the CREP Outreach Program Office Mini-grant Program is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a Growing Greener Watershed Protection grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and with additional support from USDA-NRCS.

Thanks to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection continuing to support conservation district educational projects, PACD is ready to open a new round of Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-grants!

Grants up to $2,000 are awarded to conservation districts for adult educational projects that offer strategies for reducing and preventing NPS Pollution. Projects should stimulate a local awareness of water quality issues, promote the theme “We All Live Downstream,” and encourage citizen participation in activities to improve water quality in local watersheds.

The deadline for NPS mini-grant applications is January 28, 2022. Click here for the online application and more information. Questions should be directed to Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org. 

Financial and other support for the NPS Mini-grant Program is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Northampton County Conservation District held a workshop for teachers titled “FUNdamentals of Stream Ecology.” The workshop focused on methods to assess the water quality of a stream via visual and biological assessment (kick seines, d-frames, and leaf packs) and identification of nonpoint source pollution issues by comparing two stream types (urban, natural). The attending educators were introduced to the terminology associated with stream ecology and were provided information, literature, and techniques to be applied in their classrooms.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) held a Soil Health Toolbox Field Day event on BDS Farms in Beaver Springs on November 10, 2021. Thirty-nine farmers, consultants, and conservationists attended this field day.

Farmers learned about:

• How their farm’s “soil herd” can work for them.
• Improved soil health can minimize soil and nutrient losses.
• Various cover crop mixes and establishment practices.
• How better soil health can improve soil water infiltration and resistance to erosion.

Click here to read more. 

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Centre County Conservation District held a workshop on November 3, 2021, in Bellefonte, PA. The workshop focused on educating homeowners on local water quality issues. This was an excellent opportunity for the district to have open dialogue and foster relationships within the residential community. Attendees left with a better understanding of local water quality issues, stormwater management practices, and resources to manage stormwater on their property.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

PACD opened a “bonus” round of Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-grants! Grants up to $2,500 will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to conservation districts for adult educational projects that offer strategies for reducing and preventing NPS Pollution. Notifications will be made on a rolling basis so projects can start as soon as possible. Projects will need to be completed in enough time to submit a final report by May 6, 2022.

Projects should stimulate a local awareness of water quality issues, promote the theme “We All Live Downstream,” and encourage citizen participation in activities to improve water quality in local watersheds.

The deadline for NPS mini-grant applications is December 31, 2021, or until funds are allocated. Click here for the online application and more information.

PACD still plans to open the 2022-23 Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention Educational Mini-grant round in January 2022. Final reports for the January 2022 round will be due May 2023. $60,000 will be available, however, the grant amount will be up to $2,000 per project. Districts may apply for both rounds. There is no limit to the number of applications a conservation district may submit.

Questions should be directed to Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.

Thanks to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s continuing support of conservation district educational projects, PACD is ready to open a round of Stormwater Training Video Mini-grants!

Conservation district staff are a great resource. We are looking to share your expertise and offer five mini-grants up to $2,000 for districts to develop content. Conservation districts will use grant funds to develop instructional videos on the operation and maintenance needs of a specific best management practice (BMP) for MS4 permittees. BMP types prioritized for funding are: detention basins and extended detention basins, rain gardens/bioretention basins, infiltration basins, and vegetated swales.

Only one mini-grant will be awarded per BMP. Mini-grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Conservation districts may apply for more than one mini-grant, but preference will be given to districts who have not been awarded a mini-grant.

To apply for funding, simply email Nick Yeagy your preferred BMP(s) along with alternates in case your first choice was already awarded. Applications will be accepted until November 17, 2021, or all five mini-grants are awarded, whichever comes first. Click here for more information. 

Financial and other support for the Stormwater Training Video Mini-Grant Program is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.