The 2021 Grant Round is Now Open!

Letters of Intent must be submitted no later than 4 p.m. on February 12, 2021

The Schuylkill River Restoration Fund grants are available to non-profit organizations, watershed organizations, conservation districts and county, municipal and local governments to undertake implementation projects that will improve the quality and/or quantity of water in the Schuylkill River and its tributaries. Full grant program guidelines are below. Any questions about the grant submission process should be directed to Tim Fenchel at tfenchel@schuylkillriver.org.

Click here to download 2021 Restoration Fund Grant Guidelines
Click here to download 2021 Land Transaction Assistance Grant Guidelines

Click Here to Apply
Letter of Intent Process

Organizations must submit a Letter of Intent through the Fund’s online grant portal by the stated deadline. If you have trouble accessing the portal, please contact Tim Fenchel at tfenchel@schuylkillriver.org

The Letter of Intent must include the following:

  • Project Name and location
  • Project Manager and contact information
  • Brief summary of the project addressing why it is important and what the impact
    will be on the watershed.
  • Objectives of the project and how it meets the program guidelines and criteria
  • Letter should clearly communicate where the project stands in regards to design. Is the project design fully completed, in progress, or just in draft planning stage.
  • Estimated grant request and matching fund sources

Letter of Intent must be submitted no later than 4:00 p.m. on February 12, 2021.

2021 Restoration Fund Grant Timeline

As a significant provider of clean energy in our area, we at Limerick Generating Station are committed to the betterment of our community and surrounding environment. We are proud to partner with Schuylkill River Greenways as we all strive towards strengthening the natural beauty and health of our local ecosystem.

- Frank Surniolo, Limerick Generating Station Site Vice President
Donate to the Restoration Fund
More About the Restoration Fund

The Schuylkill River Restoration Fund provides grants to government agencies and non-profit organizations for projects that improve the quality of water in the watershed. The grants focus on three major sources of pollution: stormwater run-off, agricultural pollution and abandoned mine drainage.

The  annual grant program begins each year in January with funding typically being awarded in May or June.  The goal of the Restoration Fund is to support projects in the Schuylkill River watershed that are consistent with restoration and water management goals for the entire basin. Any questions about the Schuylkill River Restoration Fund or the grant submission process should be directed to Tim Fenchel at tfenchel@schuylkillriver.org. 

The fund was created in 2006 through a unique public/private partnership between Exelon Nuclear, the Delaware River Basin Commission and the Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area. Since being established in 2006, the fund has distributed more than $4.4 million–and leveraged another $5 million–for more than 120 projects that protect and restore the Schuylkill River.

The Schuylkill River Restoration Fund is funded through public/private partnerships and relies on donations from numerous organizations and individuals. Click here to donate to the fund.

2020 Grant Announcement & Project Showcase

In 2020, a total of $307,695 was awarded to nine projects in four Pennsylvania counties that will improve water quality in the Schuylkill River, a source of drinking water for almost 2 million people. The Schuylkill River Restoration Fund also celebrated 15 years. For the past 15 years, through the generous contributions of our program funders, the leadership of the Advisory Committee and the hard work of our applicants and partners, the Schuylkill River Restoration Fund has supported over 120 projects for the conservation and preservation of the Schuylkill River.

The Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area, Schuylkill Action Network, Exelon Generation, Delaware River Basin Commission, Philadelphia Water Department and Aqua Pennsylvania held a virtual press event on Sept. 10, 2020 to announce recipients of the 2020 Schuylkill River Restoration Fund. The online event included presentations by key partners, as well as several premier project videos. The video showcases were of projects in the Schuylkill River Watershed ranging from stormwater projects along the Schuylkill River Trail, to a stream restoration in the Tulpehocken Creek, to coal silt remediation in the headwaters of Schuylkill County.

Grant Awards

2020 Grant Recipients 

2019 Award PR 2019 Grant Recipients

 

2018 Award PR2018 Grant Recipients    

2017 Award PR2017 Grant Recipients 

2016 Award PR2016 Grant Recipients 

2015 Award PR2015 Grant Recipients    

2014 Award PR2014 Recipients     

2013 Award PR2013 Recipients

How It's Funded

The Schuylkill River Restoration Fund is the result of a unique public/private partnership. Funders include: Exelon Generation's Limerick Generating Station, the Philadelphia Water Department, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, MOMs Organic Market, Aqua PA and DTE Energy. A number of partners oversee the fund and its projects. The grants are administered by the Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area, which is managed by the non-profit Schuylkill River Greenway Association. All grant recipients are carefully selected by an advisory committee consisting of:

  • Exelon Generation
  • Delaware River Basin Commission
  • Philadelphia Water Department
  • Environmental Protection Agency
  • Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
  • Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
  • Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area
  • Schuylkill Action Network
What are Land Transaction Assistance Grants?

The Schuylkill River Restoration Fund offers matching grants of up to $4,000 per project to assist with transaction costs for permanent land protection projects (conservation easements, full fee acquisitions, donations) within the Schuylkill River watershed. These grants are intended to facilitate the protection of high priority lands for water quality and habitat protection. See grant guidelines above for more details.

Project Summaries
Project Statistics
  • $4.4 million of awards since 2006
  • More than 120 projects funded.  81 completed to date
  • 7 abandoned mine drainage projects completed
  • Agricultural improvements on over 25 Berks County farms
  • 12 stormwater basins retrofitted