Pennsylvania State Grants

Environmental Protection · Amount varies

This Pennsylvania Recycling Performance Grant is available only to Pennsylvania local governments (municipalities) that operate recycling programs, so eligibility is narrow and geographically limited. Award amounts are based on the total tons recycled and the applicant's recycling rate rather than a fixed range. Nonprofits, businesses, and individuals are not eligible.

Council on the Arts · Up to $25K

Pennsylvania nonprofits and tax-exempt corporations, units of government, units of a college/university or school district, and non-arts nonprofits providing arts programming can apply for this Creative Catalyst grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. It funds new initiatives that strengthen Pennsylvania's creative industries and workforce, and proposals must demonstrate statewide or broad regional reach within Pennsylvania. Awards run up to about $25,000.

Council on the Arts · Up to $25K

Pennsylvania nonprofits and tax-exempt corporations, units of government, units of a college/university or school district, and non-arts nonprofits providing arts programming can apply for this Creative Catalyst grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. It funds new initiatives that strengthen Pennsylvania's creative industries and workforce, and proposals must show statewide or broad regional reach within Pennsylvania. Awards run up to about $25,000.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

Pennsylvania's Neighborhood Assistance Program Enterprise Zone Tax Credit (NAP-EZP) provides tax credits to private for-profit companies that invest in rehabilitating, expanding, or improving buildings or land within designated enterprise zones. Only private for-profit businesses are eligible; nonprofits and individuals are not. Award amounts are not specified, and the program is limited to projects in Pennsylvania's designated enterprise zones, so confirm your location qualifies before applying.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

Pennsylvania's Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP-SPP) is a state tax-credit program that encourages businesses to invest in projects improving distressed areas. It is open to nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, which typically partner with contributing businesses that receive the tax credit. Award amounts are not specified; this program is limited to Pennsylvania and to qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofits, so review the program guidelines for project and geographic requirements.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

The Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority Venture Investment Program (BFTDA-VIP) is a Pennsylvania initiative that increases the risk capital available to technology-oriented businesses in the state. Eligible applicants are not-for-profit organizations and community groups. Award amounts are not specified; the program is focused on building a technology-based economy in Pennsylvania, so review the guidelines for the specific investment structure and eligibility details.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

Pennsylvania's Neighborhood Assistance Program Charitable Food Program (NAP-CFP) is a state tax-credit program that encourages businesses to invest in projects improving distressed areas, with a charitable food focus. It is open to nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, which generally partner with contributing businesses that claim the tax credit. Award amounts are not stated; eligibility is limited to Pennsylvania-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits, so check the guidelines for specific project requirements.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

Pennsylvania's Neighborhood Assistance Program Neighborhood Partnership Program (NAP-NPP) is a state tax-credit program that encourages businesses to invest in long-term projects improving distressed areas. It is open to nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, which typically partner with contributing businesses that receive the tax credit. Award amounts are not stated; eligibility is limited to Pennsylvania-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits, so review the program guidelines for partnership and project requirements.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

Pennsylvania's Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) is a state tax-credit program that encourages businesses to invest in projects improving distressed areas. It is open to nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, which generally partner with contributing businesses that claim the tax credit. Award amounts are not stated; eligibility is limited to Pennsylvania-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits, so check the program guidelines for project and geographic requirements.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

Pennsylvania's Marketing to Attract Tourists (MTAT) program funds marketing and event projects that draw out-of-state visitors to Pennsylvania, across four sub-programs covering travel experiences, sporting events, big-stage events, and general destination marketing. Eligible applicants include destination marketing organizations, tourism-related businesses, and coalitions of regional or industry groups. Award amounts are not stated; the program is specific to Pennsylvania tourism promotion, so review the guidelines to match your project to the right sub-program.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

Pennsylvania First is a state economic-development financing tool to support investment and job creation in the Commonwealth, offered here as a loan. A wide range of entities may apply, including for-profit businesses, corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships, LLCs, nonprofits, and municipalities and other local-government bodies. Projects must benefit Pennsylvania. No specific award amounts are listed.

Community & Economic Development · From $500K

Pennsylvania's Solar for Schools program funds the purchase and installation of solar energy systems, including equipment, permits, energy storage, and utility interconnection. Eligibility is limited to schools, specifically school districts, intermediate units, charter schools (including cyber and regional), schools for the deaf or blind, career and technical schools, and community colleges in Pennsylvania. The stated minimum award is $500,000, making this a large-award program; no maximum is listed.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

This Pennsylvania measure is a tax deduction for employers, not a cash grant or loan. It rewards manufacturers that make qualified investments and create jobs in Pennsylvania by allowing a deduction against state tax liability. Only manufacturing businesses operating in the Commonwealth would qualify, so most nonprofits and individuals are not a fit.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

This Pennsylvania program provides low-interest loans to local governments for equipment and facility needs. Eligibility is limited to local government bodies, so businesses, nonprofits, and individuals would not qualify. Specific eligibility details and award amounts are not stated; applicants should confirm terms with the administering agency.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

The Pennsylvania Beginning Farmer Tax Credit provides tax credits to owners of agricultural assets who sell or rent those assets to beginning farmers. Eligible applicants are individuals and other legal entities such as trusts and pass-through entities that own agricultural assets. This is a tax-credit benefit rather than a cash grant, administered with the state Departments of Agriculture and Revenue. No specific credit amounts are listed.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

This Pennsylvania program awards tax credits (not cash) to taxpayers who restore a qualified historic structure into an income-producing property. Every project must include a rehabilitation plan approved by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission as consistent with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior's standards. It suits property owners and developers undertaking historic rehab; it does not fit applicants without a qualifying historic, income-producing building.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

Pennsylvania's Manufacturing Tax Credit Program provides tax credits to taxpayers who increase their annual taxable payroll by $1,000,000 through the creation of new full-time jobs. Eligibility is limited to qualified taxpayers meeting that payroll-growth threshold, so it targets businesses able to add substantial new jobs. This is a tax credit rather than a cash grant, and no specific credit amounts are listed.

Community & Economic Development · Up to $200K

This Pennsylvania program provides matching grant funds to municipalities (counties, cities, boroughs, towns, townships, and home-rule municipalities) experiencing fiscal difficulty, to develop multi-year financial plans and set financial objectives. Because it is a matching grant, applicants must contribute a share of project costs. Awards go up to roughly $200,000; private organizations and individuals are not eligible.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

This Pennsylvania program offers grants and low-interest loans to fund environmental site assessment and cleanup at former industrial sites. Eligible applicants include public entities, private nonprofit economic development entities, and companies reusing former industrial land, but applicants must not have caused or contributed to the contamination. Individuals and parties responsible for the pollution are not eligible.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

This Appalachian Regional Commission program funds area-development projects within Pennsylvania's Appalachian region. Eligible applicants are economic development organizations, nonprofit entities, and local governments in Appalachian Pennsylvania; the geographic limit excludes organizations elsewhere in the state. It supports a range of community and economic development activities; award amounts are not specified.