Editor’s Note: The PA Wilds Partner Opportunities blog is a new monthly roundup of opportunities and resources that are offered by partners of the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship. Featured blog content supports Pennsylvania Wilds communities, small businesses and organizations. Regionally focused and time sensitive grant opportunities, technical assistance programs and professional development workshops are examples of the types of resources and opportunities that will be included in this monthly blog. Typically published the second week of each month, this series serves as a real time supplement to the annually produced PA Wilds Resource Guides, available at WildsCoPA.org/business-resources.

 

Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority drafts its Statewide Digital Equity Plan, public comment period open

Host: Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority
Date: Public comment open November 27, 2023 – January 8, 2024
Location: Review and provide feedback for the draft at the PBDA Digital Equity Act website.

The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) has drafted its Statewide Digital Equity Plan (Plan), as is required through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Digital Equity Act. The Plan outlines the disparities in digital equity across the commonwealth, existing assets that are in place to bridge the digital equity divide, how the PBDA engaged with a diverse set of stakeholders, industry leaders, and subject matter experts, and how the PBDA will implement this plan across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Input on the draft Plan is vital to its success and will ensure that the PBDA has listened and incorporated experience and needs from every corner of the state. Public Comment will be open at 12PM EST, Monday November 27, 2023, and will close at 12PM EST on Monday January 8, 2024. The PBDA has identified 3 processes to submit comments, which are outlined on the PBDA Digital Equity Act website.

 

COVID-19 ARPA Multi-Purpose Community Facilities Program (Facilities) guidelines available for review

Host: Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority
Date: Guidelines can be reviewed until January 10, 2024. Applications open January 11 to April 9, 2024.
Location: Review the guidelines here

The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) has posted the COVID-19 ARPA Multi-Purpose Community Facilities Program (Facilities) guidelines for review. The Facilities Program will offer $45 million in competitive grants to community anchor institutions and units of local government for community projects to construct, acquire, or improve facilities that are, or will be open to the public and will directly enable work, education, and health monitoring at the respective facility. You can review all guideline details to include eligibility and project criteria on the website. Guidelines will be available for review from 12.12.23 – 1.10.24. The Program will be open and begin to receive applications beginning 1.11.24 and will close 4.9.24 at 11:59 PM.

 

DCNR Community Conservation Partnerships Program grant round opens January 16, 2024

Host: PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Date: Grant round opens January 16, 2024
Location: Learn more and apply for the grants at the DCNR grant page.

Videos of DCNR’s annual grant workshop are now live on the agency’s YouTube channel. If you missed the grant workshop on November 16, or if you’d like a refresher on anything you learned at it, the videos are the place to start. The videos provide information about the upcoming 2024 grant round, which opens on Tuesday, January 16. They discuss who can apply, the types of projects we fund, and how to make your application more competitive. We recommend watching the “General Overview” video first, and then watching the video specific to the type of grant you intend to apply for. Learn more and apply for the grants at the DCNR grant page.

 

Getting the Grant: Successfully Applying for ARC Funding Opportunities

Host: Appalachian Regional Commission
Date: Register by January 16, 2024. Event in Ohio will be held February 6th, 2024, 8am – 4pm.
Location: Portsmouth, Ohio

ARC is pleased to announce the return of the in-person workshop series entitled “Getting the Grant: Successfully Applying for ARC Funding Opportunities.” Hear from initiative leads on program specifics, new and upcoming changes to 2024 NOSAs, application review and scoring criteria, learn from successful grantees on how they translated their project ideas into award-winning proposals, and receive training guidance on complex application components and associated requirements.  Events will be held: January 23rd, 2024, 8am – 4pm in Asheville, North Carolina; January 30th, 2024, 8am – 4pm in Birmingham, Alabama; and February 6th, 2024, 8am – 4pm in Portsmouth, Ohio. Register by January 16, 2024 here.

 

Registration now open for Penn State Extension’s Woods in Your Backyard Series

Host: Penn State Extension
Date: Wednesdays January 17, 2024-March 13, 2024 (7:00 PM-8:30 PM ET)
Location: Learn more about the live webinar series and register here.

The vast majority of landowners have small woodlots less than 10 acres in size. Woods in Your Backyard Series is designed specifically, but not exclusively, for smaller landscapes. Join us to learn how landowners can positively influence the environment by implementing simple stewardship practices. The series’ training unfolds across nine one-hour live evening webinar sessions, all centered on forest management. The series will cover topics such as forest ecology and soils, tree planting and native landscaping, tree identification, enhancing wildlife habitat, water in the woods, invasive species management, and woodlot management techniques. Learn more about the live webinar series and register here.

 

2024 PDC Premier Revitalization Conference Call for Proposals

Host: Pennsylvania Downtown Center
Date: Submissions are open until January 22, 2024. Conference is June 23-26, 2024.
Location: Submit your proposal here.

You are invited to submit session proposals for the Pennsylvania Downtown Center’s Premier Revitalization Conference in York, PA, from June 23-26, 2024. This event unites community leaders and experts in revitalization, focusing on dynamic partnerships and collaboration within communities. PDC is seeking innovative proposals on topics like advocacy, community branding, inclusive board development, placemaking, and more. Submissions are open until January 22, 2024. For detailed guidelines and to propose your session, click here. Join in shaping the future of our communities through collaboration and innovation!

 

Unveiling the Second Edition of the ORR Rural Economic Development Toolkit

Host: Outdoor Recreation Roundtable
Date: Wednesday, January 24, 2 p.m. Eastern
Location: Zoom Registration Link

After three years of research of communities around the United States, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable is pleased to unveil the second edition of its widely acclaimed rural economic development toolkit, designed to help communities build better outdoor recreation economies. Be sure to sign up for the webinar when Chris Perkins, Vice President of Programs at ORR and author of the Toolkit, unveils the second edition on January 24. Ta Enos, founder and CEO of the PA Wilds Center, is proud to be one of the panelists during the webinar, along with many other leaders in outdoor recreation. The webinar will highlight many additional resources in the second edition of the toolkit, including a new list of federal grants and technical assistance, modules, and a community assessment tool.

 

KTA hiring for full-time Regional Trail Care Coordinator for PA Wilds region

Host: Keystone Trails Association
Date: Cover letters and resumes should be sent to [email protected] by January 26, 2024.
Location: Remote or hybrid job for the 13-county PA Wilds region. Learn more and apply at www.kta-hike.org/work-for-kta.html.

Love hiking and want to work in the PA Wilds region? Keystone Trails Association is hiring for a full-time Regional Trail Care Coordinator for the 13-county PA Wilds region. This coordinator will work closely with the Manager of Trail Maintenance and Training, volunteers, and agency and organizational partners. This individual will evaluate trail conditions, prioritize improvements, perform trail maintenance, and bolster volunteerism for such activities on hiking trails in the region. Cover letters and resumes should be sent to [email protected] by January 26, 2024. Learn more and apply at www.kta-hike.org/work-for-kta.html.

 

WalkWorks Active Transportation Planning Grant opens, informational webinar scheduled for February 7

Host: PA Walkworks
Date: Informational webinar scheduled for February 7; applications due no later than March 22, 2024.
Location: Informational packet available here; register for February 7 online informational webinar here.

WalkWorks is pleased to announce its eighth round of assistance to advance policy development related to active transportation. Grants and technical assistance will be offered to a limited number of municipalities and other governmental bodies to assist with the development of Active Transportation Plans during 2024 and 2025. These plans are essential to our efforts to establish activity-friendly routes that connect people to everyday destinations, thereby expanding opportunities for physical activity and improving public health. Active transportation includes walking, biking, using a wheelchair, and accessing public transit. An informational webinar reviewing the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will take place on Wednesday, February 7, at noon, on zoom. Register here.

 

Lumber Heritage Region Mini-Grant Program applications open

Host: The Lumber Heritage Region of Pennsylvania Inc.
Date: Applications must be received no later than February 8, 2024.
Location: Details and application packets are available at www.lumberheritage.org or by calling the LHR at 814-761-4207.

The Lumber Heritage Region of Pennsylvania Inc. (LHR) is now accepting applications for LHR’s 2024 Mini-Grant Program. This is a 50/50 matching grant which requires applicant to have funding for 50% of the total grant reward. This grant may not be used as match for other DCNR- funded projects. Projects must be completed, and funds must be expended by February 28, 2025. Details and application packets are available on the LHR Website at www.lumberheritage.org or by calling the LHR at 814-761-4207. Funding is very limited. Potential grantees are urged to apply as soon as possible.

 

Career Pathways Apprenticeship Summit

Host: Northwest PA Registered Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network
Date: February 20, 2024
Location: Location TBA

Attention Clarion, Forest, Venango, and Warren Counties! You are invited to the Career Pathways Apprenticeship Summit on Tuesday, February 20. Save the date, and more information will be available soon. Open to employers, economic development partners, educators, workforce partners, and community-based organizations. Learn more and stay updated at www.facebook.com/NWPASmart.

 

Susquehanna Greenway Partnership Mini-Grant Program applications open

Host: Susquehanna Greenway Partnership
Date: Applications open from January 8, 2024 to March 1, 2024
Location: Apply online or learn more at susquehannagreenway.org/mini-grant-program.

The Susquehanna Greenway Partnership (SGP) is reopening the Mini-Grant Program to a Winter 2024 round of applications starting January 8, 2024, and closing March 1, 2024. Eligible applicants include registered non-profit organizations who are able to apply for DCNR-supported funding and public entities. Applicants may request up to $10,000, and proposals must include a 1:1 match (cash or in-kind). All awarded funding must be utilized within the May 1 – December 29, 2024 contract period. The application window will close at 4:59 PM on March 1, 2024. Eligible applicants can apply online or learn more at susquehannagreenway.org/mini-grant-program.

 

Recreation RAC Committee members sought

Host: USDA Forest Service
Date: Applications must be submitted no later than March 1, 2024.
Location: Contact Jamie Klebanski at [email protected].

The USDA Forest Service announced that staff at the Allegheny National Forest will be assisting in the recruitment of nominees for a Recreation Resource Advisory Committee (Recreation RAC), which is being re-established for the Eastern Region. The Forest Service is seeking a diversity of candidates to join the 11-member committee. This opportunity is in addition to the September 2023, call for Secure Rural Schools Resource Advisory Committee members. If you would like to be considered for membership or wish to recommend nominees, please contact Jamie Klebanski at [email protected]. Nomination packets will be sent to potential nominees. Applications must be submitted no later than March 1, 2024.

 

POWR Statewide Waterway Access Grant Mini Grant Program

Host: The Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers
Date: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and awarded on a rolling basis.
Location: Learn more at the POWR SWAG announcement press release.

The Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) is opening the new Statewide Waterway Access Grant Mini Grant Program (SWAG). The grant program, supported by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, is designed to help meet growing demand for non-motorized boating opportunities. The program provides grants of up to $30,000 to create new or improve existing access points along the region’s rivers, streams, and waterways.

 

Office rental space available in Greater Clearfield County Chamber of Commerce building

Host: Greater Clearfield County Chamber of Commerce
Date: Get in touch as soon as possible for tour if interested.
Location: 218 South Second Street, Clearfield, PA 16830; call Christy at 814-765-7567 for details.

Are you working from home but need a quieter office space without distractions? Could your new startup business use an affordable office space to meet with clients? Are you looking for an all-inclusive office within walking distance of downtown Clearfield? The Clearfield Chamber of Commerce building at 218 South Second Street in Clearfield has affordable office space available in the new year. Give Christy a call at 814-765-7567 for availability.

 

Submit your resources!

Organizations offering resources or opportunities for small businesses, nonprofits and communities in the PA Wilds are invited to submit information for potential inclusion in next month’s Partner Opportunities blog, which is posted to PAWildsCenter.org and shared in the PA Wilds Center’s monthly e-newsletter. The blog and e-blast are typically shared the second week of the month. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. the last Friday of month for consideration. SUBMIT RESOURCES

 

ABOUT THE PA WILDS

The Pennsylvania Wilds is a 13-county region that includes the counties of Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Warren, and northern Centre. The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc., is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to integrate conservation and economic development in a way that inspires the communities of the Pennsylvania Wilds. The PA Wilds Center promotes the region and its 2+ million acres of public lands as a premier outdoor recreation destination as a way to diversify local economies, inspire stewardship, attract investment, retain population and improve quality of life. The PA Wilds Center’s core programs seek to help businesses leverage the PA Wilds brand and connect with new market opportunities, including: the Wilds Cooperative of PA, a network of more than 575 place-based businesses and organizations, and the PA Wilds Conservation Shop, a retail outlet primarily featuring products sourced from the WCO. For more information on the PA Wilds Center, visit www.PAWildsCenter.org. To learn more about the WCO, visit www.WildsCoPA.org. Explore the PA Wilds at www.PAWilds.com. Find regionally made products at www.ShopThePAWilds.com. 

 

Media Contact

Britt Madera | Communications Manager

PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc.

[email protected] | 570-948-1051