Lackawanna Heritage Valley Opens Two Grants To Community Organizations, Local Educators

Lackawanna Heritage Valley has begun accepting applications for two grant opportunities that aim to help Lackawanna County educators and community organizations by funding proposed projects that preserve, promote or celebrate the history, heritage and natural resources of the region.

Lackawanna Heritage Valley’s Educational Mini-Grant Program, now in its eighteenth year, affords educators a unique opportunity for funding to produce classroom or community projects. The projects should either promote students’ understanding and appreciation of northeastern Pennsylvania’s rich history and heritage or expand the students’ understanding of their role as caretakers of the environment, particularly within the Lackawanna River watershed. The program will award grants up to $1,000 each. Applications are due by noon on October 28 for projects taking place from December 1, 2022, through June 1, 2023.

Lackawanna Heritage Valley is also accepting applications for the fall cycle of their annual Partnership Grant Program. Grants are open to members of non-profit and civic organizations, municipal and governmental agencies, and educational institutions with proposals for projects designed to enrich the quality of life within local communities. Successful grant applicants will receive up to $5,000 each to conserve, preserve, and educate the public about northeastern Pennsylvania’s historic, cultural, economic or natural resources. Lackawanna Heritage Valley has provided more than three million dollars in funding assistance to community organizations through its Partnership Grants Program since its inception. Partnership grant applications are due by noon on Sept. 9.

Justin Topa, community engagement and programs manager, hopes that Lackawanna Heritage Valley’s grant programs will continue the organization’s work toward stimulating the region’s economy, enhancing tourism initiatives, strengthening community organizations and increasing the quality of life for area residents.

“Our grant programs have opened the door for so many long-standing regional partnerships,” said Topa. “With each new grant cycle, and each new partnership, we continue to find new ways to celebrate our fundamental resources – our land, our industrious roots, and our people. Each project has helped to keep our stories and traditions alive and instill a sense of pride in our communities.”

Complete grant program guidelines, applications and resources can be found on Lackawanna Heritage Valley’s website, at LHVA.org.