Park upgrades can be costly and feel overwhelming, especially for smaller municipalities. DCNR’s Small Communities Program caters to these municipalities. It offers lower-match grants for municipalities with populations of 5,000 or fewer. The Small Communities Program encourages breaking large projects into several phases. Spreading your project over several years helps keep costs below funding limits, and it eases project management.
Brown Township in Mifflin County provides a great example. Since 2015, the township and DCNR have partnered on four phases of work at Reedsville Park. The township applied for the Small Communities Program over several grant rounds, each for one part of the project. “The Small Community Program through DCNR is fantastic!” says Teresa King, township manager. “The bottom line is, without these grants, the township would not have been able to turn our park into the perfect family area that we have hoped for.” Work started with a loop trail and ADA upgrades. Next came a new pavilion. The third phase upgraded the baseball field, basketball court, and tennis courts. The final phase will replace the youth playground and combine a few smaller play areas into one large, accessible playground.
Funding for all the grants came from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund. The Small Community Program recently increased its maximum grant award. Applicants can request up to $100,000 with a match requirement of $70,000. Communities interested in exploring these grants should contact their regional advisor to schedule a site visit.
