Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, the lead organization for Lehigh Valley Greenways Conservation Landscape, announced the opening of the 2026 Lehigh Valley Greenways Mini-Grant Program, offering $100,000 to support local conservation, recreation, and education projects.

The online application period will run from Friday, Feb. 13, through Friday, March 27, at 4 p.m. Pre-application applicants are encouraged to attend a webinar on Thursday, Feb. 12, from 10:30–11:30 a.m. Registration is available at lvgreenways.org.

The mini-grants fund ready-to-go projects lasting 12 to 16 months that protect natural resources, improve trail and outdoor recreation access, and advance the goals of Lehigh Valley Greenways. Priority funding areas for 2026 include:

• Adoption of model ordinances and official maps by municipalities to safeguard natural resources and improve bicycle and pedestrian connections.
• Ecological restoration projects, such as stream habitat improvements, riparian buffers, native meadows, rain gardens, and no-mow areas in public parks.
• Equitable educational events, trainings, and workshops promoting conservation goals.
• Enhancements to THE LINK multiuse trail network, including closing trail gaps, installing safety signage, stormwater improvements, and adding trail amenities.
• Incorporation of ecological resiliency strategies into projects.

Eligible applicants include municipalities, municipal agencies, county conservation districts, educational institutions, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with projects located in Lehigh or Northampton Counties. Grant requests must range from $1,000 to $20,000, with total project costs capped at $50,000. Awards of $15,000–$20,000 are primarily reserved for resource management and infrastructure projects. Recipients are required to provide at least a 20% match through cash or eligible in-kind contributions.

Grant awards will be announced in May 2026, with projects running between June 1, 2026, and Nov. 30, 2027. Full guidelines and applications are available on the Lehigh Valley Greenways website.

The mini-grant program is funded through the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Environmental Stewardship Fund and is part of the broader Lehigh Valley Greenways Conservation Landscape, which includes more than 25 organizations and municipal partners dedicated to preserving natural resources and connecting communities to the outdoors.