Announcing the 2013 Grant Round of the South Mountain Partnership Mini-Grant Progam!

 

 

Download the 2013 Mini-Grant
Application Package

The South Mountain Mini-Grant program, administered by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, has announced the release of the application for the 2013 grant round. Grant applications will be accepted until a deadline of July 31^st, 2013.

Entering its fifth year, the Mini-Grant program has funded 28 projects throughout the South Mountain landscape in south-central Pennsylvania since its inception in 2009. The Partnership has awarded $188,000 in funding to support these projects, with this investment leveraging an additional $450,000 in matching funding.

“The Partnership prides itself on creating an inclusive conversation about the future of where we live,” stated Jonathan Peterson, Environmental Planner with the Appalachian Conservancy and co-lead of the South Mountain Partnership. “The Mini-Grant program continues to be a highly success tool for us to translate this conversation into action on the ground, and boost our partners’ efforts to achieve the goals and objectives that sustain the quality of life and sense of place that we enjoy here in the South Mountain region.”

The program is designed to stimulate on-the-ground projects that sustain South Mountain’s sense of place by protecting, promoting, or building upon our ecological and natural resources, heritage and cultural resources, agriculture and working lands, and recreation. In particular, the Program targets investments in projects that have significant ties to the assets of South Mountain, the working lands that surround the mountain, and the communities tied to both.

Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, municipalities, counties, and educational institutions. Those interested in submitting an application to be considered for funding in the 2013 grant round are highly encouraged to contact Jonathan Peterson at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (717 258 5771). More information and downloadable copies of the grant application process are available at the South Mountain Partnership webpage at www.southmountainpartnership.org.

The South Mountain Partnership is jointly led by ATC and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and focused on the four-county region of Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and York counties. The Partnership is a unified alliance of citizens, businesses, not-for-profits, and local and state government officials and agencies. Together, we see the stewarding of the region’s natural, cultural and recreational resources as critical to sustaining the quality of life and economic health of the region’s citizens and communities. The Partnership’s key role is as regional facilitator in this conversation, and ATC’s local roots and extensive conservation work in central Pennsylvania has made it a logical fit to lead the initiative.

Funds for the Mini-Grant program originate from DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation and the Community Conservation Partnership Program. These funds are derived from the Environmental Stewardship Fund.


Contact:
Jonathan Peterson                                                                                                  
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Tel. 717.258.5771 x205
Fax. 717.258.1442
Email: jpeterson@appalachiantrail.org
Web: www.appalachiantrail.org

Coming Soon....

Stay Tuned: the 2013 Funding Round of the South Mountain Partnership's Mini-Grant program will be launched in the coming weeks. The application materials and process is receiving a final review and will soon be finalized and opened to applicants. Application deadline will be Wednesday July 31, 2013 at 5:00 p.m.

All questions should be directed to Jon Peterson at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy: jpeterson@appalachiantrail.org or 717 258 5771.

2012 Mini-Grant Recipients Recognized at the Partnership's 2nd Annual "Power of the Partnership" Celebration

On January 25, 2013 the South Mountain Partnership hosted its second annual "Power of the Partnership" celebration. Partners and friends had a chance to reflect back on the many successes of the 2012 year, and also look ahead to the exciting projects upcoming for the 2013 year.

As part of this celebration, the Partnership highlighted the wonderful projects that were awarded Mini-Grants in the fall of 2012. These projects are on-going and are scheduled to be completed in 2013. Projects that were awarded Mini-Grants were:




 

Developing Equity in the Food System, Capital RC&D

Developing Equity in the Food System: Techniques and Strategies to Serve All Residents Program will provide an opportunity for partners, supporting organizations and businesses within the South Mountain region to address the issues surrounding equity and inclusion in their services and programming with specific emphasis on our regions food system.

The primary purpose for the training is to provide the necessary information and guidance to ensure that underrepresented communities (socio-economic, racial, cultural, gender, etc.) are included in both voice and representation in the efforts of participating groups including South Mountain Partners (SMP) focused on agriculture, agritourism, and those whose recreational activities rely on the regions agriculture. Additional participants will include organizations, businesses and individuals in the region that have begun meeting as the South Central PA Food System Alliance (SCPA-FSA).

The program will be held at Wilson College in February 2013 and will provide one-day training with a facilitator focused on increasing participant capacity to review and improve their programs, services and businesses to welcome input and participation by underrepresented communities.

 

Goddard Leadership Institute, Central Pennsylvania Conservancy

The Goddard Leadership Legacy Institute is a week-long summer residential program designed to engage 25 promising early level high school students in natural resources stewardship learning and training in leadership and civic engagement. In addition to being led by environmental educators, the program incorporates professional leaders in a variety of fields and challenges teamwork and problem solving throughout the week through an ongoing team project and individual action projects. The Central Pennsylvania Conservancy is launching the Institute in July 2013.

Lessons in ecology will be coupled with an understanding of threats to sustainability and how effective leadership and citizen engagement can resolve them. The post-program experience will be enhanced by offering volunteer service projects, online interaction of teachers and students, and recruitment into the Conservation District’s Envirothon program.

The Goddard Institute takes inspiration from Maurice K. Goddard’s legacy which includes a commitment to professionalism and civil service; leadership on environmental and watershed scale approach to water management; and dedicated funding for natural resource conservation. A brochure for the Institute is currently available from the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy.

 

 

Simply Moving, Cumberland County Planning Department

The Cumberland County Planning Department (CCPD) in partnership with the Carlisle Area Health & Wellness Foundation (CAHWF) is in the process of updating its popular park and trail guide, Simply Moving.

Simply Moving is a comprehensive guide to public outdoor recreation in Cumberland and Perry counties. The guide serves a dual purpose: first, to generate awareness about the parks and trails within both Counties as a means of promoting nature-based tourism; and second, to encourage health and wellness by promoting these recreational facilities as great places for free, close-to-home physical activity. A printed version will be widely distributed, and will be supplemented by a web-based electronic version as well.

 

Gettysburg Inner Loop Greenway Mater Plan, Healthy Adams Bicycle/Pedestrian, Inc (HABPI)

Healthy Adams Bicycle/Pedestrian, Inc.(HABPI) is a non-profit group of volunteers who are working to develop walking and bicycling trails or paths in Adams County for recreation and transportation. This project will create an essential Greenway Master Plan for the section of the Gettysburg Inner Loop (GIL) from the Gettysburg Post Office on Buford Avenue to the new Bus Hub on Carlisle Street. The most critical question that will be answered is the precise alignment/trail type/greenway description on West Railroad Street. Creating a master plan of this segment now will enable timely construction as it will answer critical questions in our approach to shovel ready status.

 

South Mountain Birding Guide, Audubon PA

The Audubon PA looked to develop a web-based and printed guide for watching birds within and around the periphery of the entire South Mountain in Pennsylvania. The guide will include general information about the value of South Mountain to nesting and migrating birds. It will also identify (via map and text) specific birding sites, directions, and interesting or unique species found at each site by season.

A web version of the trail will be featured as a regional focal area within the existing state-wide Pennsylvania Birding Trail website. A printed version will also be produced as a two-sided map that folds down to an an easy-to-carry brochure size.