Montco Forever Green is a new grant initiative launched by Montgomery County to support open space preservation projects throughout the area, writes Emily Neil for WHYY.
Starting September 1, nonprofit organizations and local municipalities can apply for grants of up to $500,000 to finance open space preservation projects of any size on the county’s rural, suburban, and urban areas. Funds can be used for both fee title and conservation easement acquisitions.
Applications will be accepted and reviewed by the planning commission on a rolling basis. Feasible applications will then be forwarded to the open space board, which will decide whether to recommend the project for a final vote by the board of commissioners.
According to Bill Hartman, trails and open space planning manager at the Montgomery County Planning Commission, the initiative seeks to increase public awareness of the county’s commitment to preserving open space.
“There were some municipalities that weren’t even aware that the county had this money available for Open Space Preservation,” he said.
Hartman added that the program builds on the county’s strong history of open space preservation, with over 43,000 acres already protected.
Read more about Montco Forever Green in WHYY.
