Applicants are invited to apply for the York County Open Space and Land Preservation Grant Program.
Donor Name: York County Planning Commission
State: Pennsylvania
County: York County (PA)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/30/2023
Size of the Grant: $40,000
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
The York County Commissioners adopted the York County Open Space and Greenways component of the York County Comprehensive Plan in December 2006. That Plan sets forth a benchmark to preserve or protect 2,500 acres annually. For several years, the County has fallen short of that goal. Open space provides many benefits, but open space protection faces challenges in York County, including insufficient preservation funding and development pressures. At the direction of the York County Commissioners, the York County Land Protection Committee (comprised of the York County Agricultural Land Preservation Board, the York County Conservation District, York County Parks, the Farm and Natural Lands Trust of York County, and the York County Planning Commission) worked to secure a stable and predictable funding source for land protection.
Program Objectives
The York County Open Space and Land Preservation Grant Program can provide grant funding to municipalities, York County Parks Department and other County agencies, school districts, and charitable non-profit organizations with 501(c) status. Organizations should be in existence for at least five consecutive years. Funding can be used to purchase land or to update local plans and ordinances to reflect current planning practices and address emerging trends that support open space protection.
Funding Information
$40,000 maximum grant (subject to discussion by grant selection committee). The total project lifetime cap is $60,000.
Grant Duration
Contract length is up to three years from the date that the project as approved by the York County Commissioners.
Eligible Activities
Financial assistance under the York County Open Space and Land Preservation Grant Program fall under three separate categories: Land Acquisition; Planning and Ordinance Assistance; or Marcellus Shale Legacy funds. Each category and the eligible activities and applicants are discussed in more detail in the following sections.
Land Acquisition
- Eligible Projects
- The York County Open Space and Land Preservation Grant Program will assist applicants with the purchase of properties that provide public access and one or more of the following benefits.
- Natural Resource Protection – lands that protect the water or other natural resources or provide wildlife habitat.
- Parkland – lands that provide active or passive recreational opportunities for current and future generations.
- Grants may only be used to purchase land. Grants may not be used to acquire structures or improvements. Any land occupied by structures or future building sites must be subtracted from the total land area submitted for funding.
- The York County Open Space and Land Preservation Grant Program will assist applicants with the purchase of properties that provide public access and one or more of the following benefits.
Planning and Ordinance Assistance
- Eligible Projects
- The York County Open Space and Land Preservation Grant Program will enable applicants to conduct planning studies, update comprehensive plans and ordinances to address the County Comprehensive Plan’s open space, land protection, sensitive natural features, and agricultural protection related goals and objectives.
- Eligible Activities
- The York County Open Space and Land Preservation Grant Program funds can be used to conduct planning studies and to develop portions of comprehensive plans and ordinances to address the County Comprehensive Plan’s open space, land protection, sensitive natural features, and agricultural protection related goals and objectives. The following activities are eligible:
- Comprehensive Plans- new plans or amendments to existing plans
- Zoning Ordinances – new ordinances or amendments to existing ordinances
- Subdivision and Land Development Ordinances – new ordinances or amendments to existing ordinances
- Official Map Ordinances – new ordinances or amendments to existing ordinances
- Special Plans – i.e. revitalization, park master plan, open space/park/ recreation plan, natural resource protection plan, etc.
- Other planning tasks as deemed eligible
- Applicants are required to submit a detailed scope of work with applications for Comprehensive Plans and Ordinance updates to justify expenditures and time related to open space protection.
- The York County Open Space and Land Preservation Grant Program funds can be used to conduct planning studies and to develop portions of comprehensive plans and ordinances to address the County Comprehensive Plan’s open space, land protection, sensitive natural features, and agricultural protection related goals and objectives. The following activities are eligible:
- Eligible Costs
- Eligible costs are: professional planning and consulting fees; mapping and graphics related to the approved project; review of materials by professionals (attorneys, engineers); drafting of enabling documents; and printing of adopted documents.
Marcellus Shale Legacy Funding
- The York County Open Space and Land Preservation Grant Program – Marcellus Shale Legacy funds will assist applicants with planning, acquisition, development, rehabilitation and repair of greenways, recreational trails, open space, natural areas, community conservation and beautification projects, community and heritage parks and water resource management. Funds may be used to acquire lands for recreational or conservation purposes and land damaged or prone to drainage by storms or flooding.
- Eligible Costs
- Eligible costs are: All costs not deemed ineligible and are associated with an eligible project under section 4.3.1. Examples include, but are not limited to: purchase of playground equipment, misc. park improvements, maintenance and upgrades, infrastructure repairs, ADA ramps and sidewalk, trail construction, open space or recreation land, etc.
Eligibility Criteria
The following entities are eligible to apply for funding under the York County Open Space and Land Preservation Grant Program:
- Any municipality in York County, PA. Multi-municipal applications are eligible and encouraged.
- Charitable Non-profit Organizations with 501(c) status that have an identified focus on natural resource protection, land preservation, parks/recreation, or conservation. Organizations should be in existence for at least five consecutive years. Any Non-profit with 501(c) status can apply for Marcellus Shale Legacy Funds.
- York County Parks Department
- Other County Agencies – Marcellus Shale Funding only
- School Districts – Marcellus Shale Funding only.
For more information, visit York County Planning Commission .