Press Release

Grant Announced to Support A.T. Community Projects

October 21, 2020

Appalachian Trail Conservancy Announces $150,000 in Community Impact Grants for Southwestern Virginia and Southeastern West Virginia

HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. (Oct. 21, 2020) – Today the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) announced $150,000 in community impact grants to help promote education, expand engagement and support economic viability in partnership with trailside communities. These grants are supported through the voluntary conservation agreement between the ATC, Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC and The Conservation Fund.

The ATC invites proposals from local, statewide and regional non-profits that promote social, economic and land justice in an eight-county region of Southwestern Virginia and Southeastern West Virginia. These include Tazewell, Bland, Giles, Montgomery, Craig, Roanoke and Botetourt Counties in Virginia and Monroe County in West Virginia.

“Through these grants, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy aims to advance environmental health, land stewardship, education, green infrastructure planning, and outdoor economies to better support marginalized communities,” said Julie Judkins, ATC’s director of education and outreach.

All applications should address at least one of the following criteria in order to be eligible for the grant:

  • Provides educational opportunities to learn more about local public lands, the A.T. and the history of lands in the region.
  • Builds capacity for job training in outdoor recreation, public lands administration, trail development or similar fields.
  • Assists in breaking down barriers to support community members, indigenous nations/peoples, and visitors seeking recreation and stewardship opportunities in the region.
  • Promotes community planning to enhance, promote and protect outdoor recreation assets and local cultural resources.
  • Develops land stewardship via traditional knowledge, culture, and sustainable development; and/or increases connectivity and access to green spaces/public lands.

All applications for the Community Impact Grant must be received by November 24, 2020. To learn more about the ATC’s Community Impact Grants, eligibility criteria, funding requirements and deadlines, visit appalachiantrail.org/impact-grant-2020.

About the Appalachian Trail Conservancy
The ATC was founded in 1925 by volunteers and federal officials working to build a continuous footpath along the Appalachian Mountains. A unit of the National Park System, the A.T. ranges from Maine to Georgia and is approximately 2,190 miles in length. It is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world. The mission of the ATC is to preserve and manage the Appalachian Trail – ensuring that its vast natural beauty and priceless cultural heritage can be shared and enjoyed today, tomorrow, and for centuries to come. For more information, visit www.appalachiantrail.org.

Media Contact: Jordan Bowman
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
799 Washington Street
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
Tel: 304.885.0794
Email: jbowman@appalachiantrail.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ATHike
Web: www.appalachiantrail.org

###