Small Ticket Grants to Make Big Impact on Trails in Six Communities
Sometimes, it's the little things that make such a huge difference to local communities. Take for instance trails, in which sometimes it's the smaller ticket items—signage, bridge repairs and surfacing replacement—that can really open up and revive a corridor.
Now in its seventh year, the Trail Assistance Mini-Grant Program managed by RTC was begun as a way to assist trail organizations or municipalities who need to make small repairs and improvements to their trail outside of the regular Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant schedule and well below the higher dollar amounts usually requested on major trail development grants.
The mini-grant program has helped local rail-trail builders move ahead on small projects that might otherwise have stalled as they waited for appropriate funding. By funding these projects for local trail organizations in a timely fashion, a number of Pennsylvania rail-trails have been able to enhance the usability of their pathways and increase their visibility within their communities.
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Northeast Regional Office is pleased to announce the following Trail Assistance Mini-Grant awards for 2014:
- Indian Creek Valley Trail, Bridge construction, Beverly Braverman, $10,000
- D&H Rail Trail, Gate and surface improvements, Lynn Conrad, $5,000
- York County Heritage Rail-Trail, Kiosk maps/signage, Mike Fobes, $2,800
- Erie to Pittsburgh Trail, Wayfinding and directional signage, Marilyn Black, $4,000
- Steel Valley Trail, Route signage SR50, Jim Taggart, $6,720
- Samuel Justus Trail, Composting toilet, Debra Frawley, $10,000
- Erie to Pittsburgh Trail, Signage, Jeff McCauley, $4,000
The Trail Assistance Mini-Grant Program is funded through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, Community Conservation Partnerships Program.
For more information on the mini-grant program, contact Patricia Tomes at 717.238.1717 or pat@railstotrails.org.
