Penn Soil RC&D Council: 60 Years of Bringing the Pieces

Together For Community Improvements!

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Penn Soil Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Council is a registered 501(C) (3) Not-for-profit organization formed in 1964, serving the residents of eight northwestern Pennsylvania counties including Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango and Warren Counties. The RC&D Council actively seeks and manages grants for projects proposed by local communities and organizations which are consistent with the RC&D mission. Primarily, we provide assistance to community groups pursuing projects in one of four elements of our strategic Area Plan: Community Development, Water Management, Land Management, and Land Conservation.

Financial and technical assistance provided by Penn Soil RC&D Council may include assisting a group to develop project plans, implement fundraising plans, developing and managing grant proposals, facilitating contractual arrangements, and creating an escrow fund to hold and maintain funds raised by partner groups or contributing donors for the purpose of supporting an event or project.

Penn Soil RC&D has operated as a true stand-alone charitable organization since losing federal funding through the USDA in 2011. Since that time, Penn Soil has been able to remain afloat without any constant, direct funding sources. Raising money through writing grants for proposed projects and soliciting donations are our main funding sources to currently pay two part-time, Co-Executive Directors (one of whom is getting ready to retire in the next year while training the new, incoming Executive Director) and pay a part-time office assistant AND fund all of the projects that we have made possible in an 8 County region! Since 2011, Penn Soil has secured over 4.35 million dollars in grants and donations and has leveraged that funding to support projects at a ratio of 9.2:1 compared to our annual administrative budget!

Penn Soil RC&D is experiencing a budget shortfall for 2025 as we are in a transition phase increasing our staffing expense as our retiring Executive Director trains the incoming Executive Director, on top of having previously secured grants in 2024 terminated by the new administration. We have also had an influx of requests for assistance from many groups and organizations over the last 6 months while continuing to work on on-going projects. We have several new community projects in the works we are working on with various community groups in different counties.

On-Going and new projects:

* New - Meadville Marc Garden project: grant funding is needed to hire and train a new urban farmer to work and manage a food production program at the MARC Garden in Meadville, Pa, Crawford County. This will help provide fresh, organic produce to the underserved community through the Meadville Market House, which accepts SNAP assistance payments for food. Extra produce would be donated to local food pantries. Urban farming education would also be made available to the community through workshops so residents could take advantage of the newly passed city ordinance allowing for urban farming within the city.

* New - Allegheny Greenhouse project : we are working with a group of senior citizens in Warren County to relocate their volunteer run greenhouse operation to a new location and build new greenhouses. This program gives senior citizens a way to stay active, healthy and engaged with their community while donating a large portion of the income from the plant sales back to local charities. This project will also involve educational programming for children up to senior citizens in the community covering agriculture, horticulture, the environment and health topics. Partners for this project so far include the Penn State Master Gardeners and Master Watershed Stewards, the Conewango Creek Watershed Assoc. and a local health care provider.

* New- Kinzua Heritage Festival : we are assisting the organizers in Warren County to secure funding for improvements and an expansion of programming at the grounds for the 2025 festival taking place at the end of August and to once again offer educational workshops to the public on a wide range of topics from blacksmithing, wood carving, basket weaving, native thread and fabric dying techniques, various art mediums and more!

* Kelletville Re-route project to move 1.25 miles of the North Country Trail off of public roads to improve safety is wrapping up as is the Allegheny National Forest Geo-trail project which has been extended another 6 months since there were funds left over from the original grant.

* This is the third year of assisting the Tri-State Poultry Assoc. with insurance for their exhibition event taking place in Trumball County, Ohio.

* On-farm Trials of Improved Native Warm Season Grass Varieties : this 3-year research project is in its final year of evaluating which native switch grass varieties will be most beneficial to farmers to improve habitat and water quality while improving production for biomass or forage to farming operations. This will also offer insight as to which varieties will be more effective at rehabilitating marginal farm land, on mine reclamation sites and areas with high nutrient or soil loss.

* 10th Annual Nature Art Showcase and Sale in Franklin, Pa, in Venango County showcasing local artists and their artwork, in any medium, inspired by nature from within the 8 Northwest Pa counties we serve.

* New - Outdoor/Water Safety Days : we are partnering with park systems in Northwest Pa to offer free community events that combine fun family oriented events with outdoor and or water safety education with the plan to have these rotate around the region to several counties each year.

* Northwest Project Grass : Penn Soil acts as the fiscal agent for this group and helps organize educational on-farm field days for local farmer's yearly.

* Toy Shoppe of Warren: Penn Soil acts as the fiscal agent for this volunteer group, writing and managing grants that enable the volunteers to continue with their 25 year mission of building and distributing free toys to under-privileged children in Warren County, Pa as well as to over 30 agencies that work with children. To date: over 30,000 toys built and distributed to under-privileged children and agencies!

* Allegheny Outdoor Club : Penn Soil is the fiscal agent for this group and we are currently working on commissioning the design and construction of new water bird panels to replace aging, unreadable signage at the Big Bend Bird Viewing Platform at Kinzua Dam. Penn Soil once again co-sponsored the 16th annual Eagle Watch at the Kinzua Dam in February.

* Girls Scouts of Western PA : Penn Soil acts as the fiscal agent for the local chapter in Warren Pa.

The Storywalk Trail Toy Shoppe 25th Anniversary Float New & Beginning Farmer Outreach

Some of the dozens and dozens of projects that Penn Soil RC&D has been a sponsor or partner of over the years include:

Two Mile Run Dam project that created Justus Lake in Venango Co.
Two Mile Run Park Nature Lodge Accessibility project, Venango Co.
Clarion River Canoe Access project in Forest Co.
Creating a Value-Added Dairy program offering cheese making classes in several counties
Tionesta Public Boat Launch in Forest Co.
The Storywalk Trail at Chapman State Park, Warren Co.
Akeley Swamp Water Control Structure, Warren Co.
Allegheny Geo Trail Project in 10 counties in PA
Amish Gray Water Treatment System Research Project
180 Rural PA Dry Fire Hydrants installed statewide
Bollinger Enterprises Concession Stand project at Chapman State Park
9 years of coordinating the Nature Art Showcase and Sale in Franklin, PA in conjunction with Franklin On Ice, Venango County
Big Bend Bird Viewing Platform and ADA compliant Big Bend Riverside Watchable Wildlife Trail Paving project, Warren Co.
Bevington Boat Launch Access Area on Beaver River in Lawrence Co.
Conewango Creek & Allegheny River Cleanups, Warren Co.
Sponsoring & winning the Allegheny River as PA River of the Year 2017 designation and providing 13 mini-grants to multiple counties for community projects
Chandlers Valley Community Assoc. Dam Repair project, Warren Co.
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Outreach project, Area Wide
Energy Harvest Solar Powered Water Pumping project for intensive grazing
Alternative Energy Education for Erie County Envirothon
Fuels for Schools Educational Program at Edinboro Energy Fair, Area Wide
Hosting Geo Woodstock IX Event bringing 5,000 visitors to Northwest PA in 2011
Tionesta Handicapped Accessible Fishing Pier in Forest Co.
Tionesta Beach Recreation Area Improvement project, Forest Co.
Local Agriculture as An Integrating Concept Educational Project, Warren Co.
Meadville Market House, Crawford Co.
Tionesta Valley Snowmobile Club Trail Grooming Equipment project, Forest & Warren, Co.
Morrison Trail Improvement Project, Warren Co.
Kellettville Re-Route of the North Country Trail project in Forest Co.
Lowlands Trail North County Trail Connector project, Chapman State Park, Warren, Co.
Northwest PA Nutrient Reduction Demonstration project, Area Wide
PA Wilds Trail Conference, Area wide
Kinzua Beach Pathways project on the Allegheny Reservoir, Warren Co.
Northwest PA Project Grass initiative and field days, Area Wide
5-year research project with the USDA and Michigan State University's Forest Carbon and Climate Program team to analyze ecosystem services management options as it pertains to carbon sequestration and climate change
Tri-State Poultry Assoc. Exhibit, NWPA, NEOH, & WNY
Upper Shenango River Water Trail Project, Mercer Co.
On-Farm trials of Warm Season Grass Varieties, Area Wide
Numerous projects at the PA Fish and Boat Tionesta Fish Hatchery, Forest Co.
Erie Bluffs State Park Trail Improvement project, Erie Co.
Pennsylvania Crude, Boomtowns and Oil Barons Book publishing
Hatch Run Conservation Demonstration Area improvements, Warren Co.
New and Beginning Farmer's and Women in Agriculture project working in conjunction with multiple county NRCS and Conservation District offices and staff
Outdoor Safety Day program to rotate around at least 9 Northwest PA counties
Many years of organizing Warren Co. Winterfest at Chapman State Park, Warren Co.
DRINC - an EPA grant project to address water treatment concerns in Fryburg, Pa, Clarion Co.
Adding value to local switch grass production technology project, Area Wide
and many, many, MANY more!!

Penn Soil Fundraising Campaign

By Penn Soil RC&D Council

Penn Soil Fundraising Campaign