RIDGWAY — The North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission (North Central), in cooperation with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), announced a new Greenways mini grant funding round.

North Central encourages municipal entities and authorities, council of governments, 501©3 tax-exempt corporations, educational institutions, incorporated watershed associations, conservation districts and regional county and local governments interested in expanding the North Central Pennsylvania Greenways network to apply for funding under the commission’s Greenways Implementation Block Grant Program.

Eligible applicants must be located within the six-county region comprising Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean and Potter counties.

The North Central Greenways Implementation Grant Program supports advancement of recreation, conservation and heritage initiatives through the implementation of recommended priorities contained within the North Central Pennsylvania Greenways Plan. For more information, or to download a funding application, visit North Central’s Greenways website at www.ncentralgreenways.com. For questions about the program and eligibility or to request a hard copy of the grant application, contact Katie Lenze, community development coordinator, at (814) 773-3162 or klenze@ncentral.com.

The competitive grant program will accept applications from Feb. 1 through 4 p.m. Feb. 29. Grant requests should not exceed $25,000 with a dollar-for-dollar match. Match may be provided by in-kind services and/or cash. Special consideration will be given to projects that have secured a local match at the time of award and that involve opportunities for coordination between local and state agencies.

Completed applications can be emailed to Lenze or mailed to North Central at 49 Ridgmont Drive, Ridgway, PA, 15853.