BETHLEHEM, Pa. — State grants that total $1 million are available to fund projects that educate and engage Pennsylvania residents about the environment.
“Environmental Education grants are some of the best ways to teach people about the water they drink and the air they breathe,” said Jessica Shirley, acting secretary of the state Department of Environmental protection, in a news release. “The projects that these grants support strengthen the bonds between people and their environment so they are able to make informed decisions and take responsible actions for their communities.
“These projects are especially important to communities that have been disproportionately impacted by pollution.”
State officials last week announced the $1 million pool for the 2025 Environmental Education Grants Program, as well as the Nov. 15 deadline to apply. The program, open to schools, colleges, nonprofit community and environmental organizations, county conservation districts and businesses, focuses on educating residents in environmental issues.
Officials are looking for projects that “engage people about clean water and climate change, especially projects that focus on environmental justice areas."Pa. Department of Environmental Protection news release
Officials are looking for projects that “engage people about clean water and climate change, especially projects that focus on environmental justice areas,” according to the release.
Environmental justice, or “EJ,” areas are census tracts in which 20% or more people live at or below the federal poverty line, and/or 30% or more identify as a non-white minority, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the federal guidelines.
Of the Lehigh Valley’s major cities, Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton all have tracts categorized as an Environmental Justice Area, according to PennEnviroScreen, the state’s mapping and screening tool.
Projects with a local focus may receive up to $5,000 and regional or statewide initiatives may receive up to $30,000, according to the release. Projects that engage students and teachers from at least 60 Pennsylvania counties at three levels — local, state and national — could be awarded up to $65,000.
Officials on Oct. 10 are holding a webinar to provide proposal tips and instructions for completing required forms. The webinar is free, but registration by Sept. 30 is required.
During the last round, 56 projects across the commonwealth received funding, including two in the Lehigh Valley.
The Lehigh County Conservation District was awarded $5,000 for its “Bee-utiful Watersheds: Making Climate Change and Pollination Connections” program to deliver three outdoor education field experiences to 325 students.
The Nurture Nature Center in Easton was awarded $4,998 for its “Connecting Youth to Local Watersheds: A Place-based Multi-disciplinary Watershed Education Program.”
Find more information on the state Department of Environmental Protection's Environmental Education Grant program on the agency’s website.
