Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds: Conservation Grants
Funding Amount
Approximately US $20,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Grant Type
Foundation
Can we apply?
Check your organization against each line. Taken from the listing; confirm with the funder's guidelines.
Eligible organizations
- FPW awards grants to nonprofit organizations and government entities such as conservation districts.
Required status
- Tax-exempt status
Other requirements
- FPW’s funding is available for projects within Pennsylvania.
- However, some restrictions may apply each grant cycle, making some funds only available for certain regions.
- Application must demonstrate some match (cash or in kind)Final reporting is mandatory for all grants
Not eligible / not funded
- Not eligible: Eligible applicants must be IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofits, focusing on areas from the Ohio border to the Susquehanna River, while individuals and government agencies are ineligible for funding.
- Not eligible: Individuals, businesses and government agencies are not eligible for Foundation grants.
Overview
The Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds Grant Program supports local initiatives aimed at conserving and restoring Pennsylvania's vital water resources. Since 1995, the foundation has provided matching grants to nonprofit organizations, enhancing the health of local streams and ensuring clean water for future generations. Eligible applicants must be IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofits, focusing on areas from the Ohio border to the Susquehanna River, while individuals and government agencies are ineligible for funding.
The Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds (FPW) is a grant-making foundation that invests in local efforts to protect healthy natural streams, clean-up and restore degraded streams, and advocate for Pennsylvania’s extensive water resources.
Through our grantmaking, we assist conservation organizations in achieving their restoration goals, while ensuring enough clean water for future generations of Pennsylvania children, families and wildlife.
We provide private matching grant funds to both small and large groups throughout most of the Commonwealth (we currently do not service areas east of the Susquehanna River).
The grant-making program of the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds (FPW) supports local efforts toward the protection and restoration of Pennsylvania’s water resources. It focuses on both protecting pristine waterways and rehabilitating those that are highly polluted. By offering private matching grant funds, the program aims to assist both small and large conservation groups through most of the Commonwealth. The grants target the enhancement of water quality and the conservation of water resources for the benefit of children, families and wildlife in the future, embodying the Foundation’s commitment to securing clean and healthy water resources for future generations.
Grantmaking Goals
Improve water quality and aquatic habitat in impaired watersheds.Strengthen community capacity for long-term watershed stewardship.Advance land conservation strategies that protect critical headwaters.Increase public access on streams as they rebound.Build organizational capacity to leverage available federal and state resources for increased conservation impact.
Eligibility
FPW awards grants to nonprofit organizations and government entities such as conservation districts. We will verify tax exempt status.FPW’s funding is available for projects within Pennsylvania. However, some restrictions may apply each grant cycle, making some funds only available for certain regions.Application must demonstrate some match (cash or in kind)Final reporting is mandatory for all grants
Ineligibility
Individuals, businesses and government agencies are not eligible for Foundation grants.
What Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds actually gave
Source: IRS Form 990, 2025
- Grants in 2025
- 59
- Total given
- $1.28M
- Median grant
- $18K
- Range
- $5,400–$81K
- By dollars: Pennsylvania 70%, Virginia 8%, District of Columbia 6%. Top recipient cities: Pittsburgh, PA; Washington, DC; Morgantown, WV.
- 0% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
- 41% of recipients were new grantees, not repeat recipients.
Example grants
Trout Unlimited Inc · Arlington, VA
Environmental develo
$81K
West Virginia University Foundation · Morgantown, WV
Environmental develo
$66K
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy · Pittsburgh, PA
Environmental develo
$59K
Chesapeake Conservancy · Annapolis, MD
Environmental develo
$50K
Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlim · Bellefonte, PA
Environmental develo
$50K
Focus Areas & Funding Uses
Fields of Work
- Nonprofits
- Water
- Environmental conservation
- Foundation
Categories
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