INDIANA — Pennsylvania Parks Fund (PPF) announced Tuesday the official kickoff of its fall membership drive, aimed at enrolling 25,000 donors by Jan. 31.
When a new member joins the Pennsylvania Parks Fund, dues are converted into a grant for local parks. PPF consists of 67 funds, one fund for each county in Pennsylvania.
“Many parks throughout Pennsylvania have a backlog of projects. Each year, the number of backlogged projects keeps getting bigger. That is the reason I created the Pennsylvania Parks Fund. I know I am not the only Pennsylvanian that wants to see our parks thrive. PPF was created as a way for ordinary people to make a big impact within the park system,” said Justin Spencer, project director and creator, Pennsylvania Parks Fund.
The Pennsylvania Parks Fund is a fiscally sponsored project of the Social Good Fund, which is a 501©(3) nonprofit organization making membership dues tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. All funds are held by the Social Good Fund until grants are sent to parks.
“This gives donors the confidence that their funds are being held by a public charity,” Spencer said.
PPF collects one-time or monthly donations from the public year-round. During its grant-request period, Dec. 1 to Jan. 31, parks throughout Pennsylvania can request to receive funds from PPF. National and state parks can request up to $100,000. County, city, borough and township parks can request up to $30,000. During the voting period, Feb. 15 to 29, members will vote to help decide which parks receive a grant. From March 11 until April 5, businesses and individuals can sponsor parks receiving a grant. This sponsorship can help parks receive more than the original grant from PPF — national and state parks could receive as much as an additional $50,000 while county, city, borough and township parks could receive an additional $20,000. During the second half of April, PPF will send grants to recipient parks.
For more information on the Pennsylvania Parks Fund, visit www.PennsylvaniaParks.org.
The official registration and financial information of the Social Good Fund (the fiscal sponsor of the Pennsylvania Parks Fund) may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, (800) 732-0999.
