Pennsylvania Community & Economic Development Grants

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Construction RSBA program funds infrastructure and construction projects (such as water, sewer, and community facilities) in Pennsylvania's Appalachian region, which covers parts of the state's mountain counties. Eligible applicants are economic development organizations, nonprofit entities, and local governments located specifically within the Appalachian PA region; organizations outside this geographic area do not qualify. No award amount is specified.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

The Historic Preservation Tax Credit is a Pennsylvania tax credit, not a grant, for taxpayers completing an approved rehabilitation of a qualified historic structure into income-producing property. The rehabilitation plan must be approved by the state historic preservation office against federal standards for historic buildings. No award/credit amount is specified, and eligibility isn't restricted to a particular organization type in the record provided.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

The PA SITES Planning Grant funds feasibility studies and site plans to prepare Pennsylvania properties for future business development or redevelopment. Eligible applicants are municipalities, economic development organizations, redevelopment or municipal authorities, industrial development agencies, and for-profit businesses. No specific award amount is listed, and eligibility excludes general nonprofits and individuals outside these categories.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

The Act 47 Loan Program provides loan and grant funding plus technical assistance to Pennsylvania local governments that are officially designated as financially distressed, helping them create financial recovery plans. Only municipalities meeting this financial distress designation are eligible; other applicant types do not qualify. No award amount is specified.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

This is a loan program, not a grant, for farm businesses purchasing land, machinery, or equipment; it uses federal tax-exempt financing to lower the borrower's interest rate. It does not apply to nonprofits or non-agricultural businesses. No loan cap or deadline is provided.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

The Keystone Opportunity Zones program offers Pennsylvania state and local tax abatements, not cash grants, to businesses and residents that locate within specially designated zones. Eligibility is tied entirely to physical location inside a KOZ rather than organization type, so businesses or individuals outside these zones do not qualify. No award amount is specified since the benefit is a tax reduction rather than a fixed grant.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

The Local Government Capital Project Loan Program provides low-interest loans, not grants, to local governments for equipment and facility needs. Eligibility is limited to local government entities; nonprofits, businesses, and individuals don't qualify. No award/loan amount is specified, and financing must be repaid.

Community & Economic Development · Up to $500K

The Private Dam Financial Assurance Program helps owners of regulated private dams in Pennsylvania meet state-required proof of financial responsibility, with a maximum benefit of $500,000, and separately offers low-interest loans once program funds reach $1,500,000. Eligible applicants include individuals, partnerships, associations, common interest communities, community associations, and corporations that own a regulated private dam; this is a narrow, asset-specific program rather than general grant funding.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

The PEDFA Tax Exempt Bond Program gives Pennsylvania businesses and 501(c)(3) nonprofits access to low-interest financing through tax-exempt bonds or notes, targeted at manufacturing, solid waste disposal, wastewater treatment, transportation facilities, and assisted living/housing projects. This is debt financing rather than a grant, and eligibility is limited to these specific project types and organization categories. No award amount is specified.

Community & Economic Development · Up to $250K

The Pennsylvania Minority Business Development Authority program provides low-interest loans, not grants, of up to $250,000 to businesses owned and operated by ethnic minorities, with the specific exclusion of non-franchised restaurants. This is a loan program rather than free grant funding, and eligibility is narrowly limited to minority-owned businesses meeting the program's criteria.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

This program is limited to Pennsylvania municipalities designated as financially distressed under Act 47; other applicant types do not qualify. It provides a mix of loan and grant funding along with technical assistance to help these local governments develop and carry out financial recovery plans. Award amounts aren't specified, and the far-off deadline suggests it runs on a rolling, ongoing basis rather than a single competition.

Community & Economic Development · From $500K

The Solar for Schools Program funds solar energy system installation for Pennsylvania schools, including school districts, charter schools, career and technical schools, trade schools, and community colleges, covering equipment purchase, permits, energy storage, and utility interconnection costs. Grants start at a minimum of $500,000, making this a large-award program limited strictly to educational institutions.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

The Ben Franklin Partners Challenge Grant supports entrepreneurs, start-ups, early-stage companies, investors, higher education institutions, and past Ben Franklin Technology Partners (BFTP) alumni companies working on new technology, including clean energy generation, conservation, and transportation. Funding is channeled through Pennsylvania's four regional Ben Franklin Technology Partners for capital access, business expertise, and technology commercialization support. No specific award amount is listed, and eligibility favors technology-focused ventures with an existing BFTP connection.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

The Beginning Farmer Tax Credit gives Pennsylvania individuals, trusts, and pass-through entities a state tax credit for selling or renting agricultural assets to beginning farmers. This is a tax credit rather than a cash grant, administered jointly with the state Department of Agriculture and Department of Revenue, and no award amount is specified.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

Despite the name, Pennsylvania First is a loan program, not a grant — it funds investment and job-creation projects for businesses, municipalities, authorities, and other legal entities across the Commonwealth. Eligibility is broad, spanning corporations, partnerships, LLCs, nonprofits, and various local government bodies. No award/loan amount is specified, and financing here must be repaid rather than being free funding.

Community & Economic Development · Amount varies

The Educational Improvement Tax Credit gives Pennsylvania businesses a state tax credit for contributions to approved Scholarship Organizations, Educational Improvement Organizations, or Pre-Kindergarten Scholarship Organizations. Only eligible businesses can apply (not individuals or nonprofits directly), and applications follow specific windows tied to prior commitment status. No award dollar cap is specified for the credit itself.