By rssfeeds-admin The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources awarded nearly $200 million in grants for various outdoor recreation projects between 2021 and 2023. DeFoor said there are rules to be followed on who gets the money, and he found numerous examples of lesser deserving projects being awarded it.
DeFoor suggests that powerful political influences had an impact on who was receiving grants.
“We found instances where DCNR executive management made the decision to award grants to applicants who missed application deadlines, funded projects that were ranked lower than others or ignored the ranking all together,” Auditor General DeFoor said. “This is very concerning because DCNR’s executive management opened the door to outside pressure and influence in awarding state grants by not solely relying on the advertised process. When management can make its own rules, it diminishes the integrity of a grant program.”
His main recommendation to agencies handing out grants is to stick to the rules when it comes to doling out taxpayer dollars.
“And here’s what we’re saying. We’re saying that the way that this was structured, it led to the opportunity for political influence because the processes were not followed, which opens the door for political influence,” DeFoor said.
The DCNR disagreed with many of the findings in DeFoor’s audit. They claimed that lower-scoring projects got money ahead of higher-scoring projects because funds were dwindling, and it was asking for less money.
The DCNR issued a statement in response to DeFoor’s report on the program.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is committed to administering its conservation and recreation grant program with transparency and accountability. Our competitive, well-established process supports meaningful projects across Pennsylvania.
Over the past 30 years, DCNR has funded more than 8,400 projects in every county, enhancing outdoor recreation opportunities for All Pennsylvanians. As the state’s largest funder of local conservation efforts, DCNR proudly supports Pennsylvania’s $19 billion outdoor recreation economy through programs like the Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2), where grant demand has more than doubled since 2012. In 2024, DCNR received 435 applications for grant funding. The department announced that $79.4 million in funding went to 307 projects last fall.
The program makes DCNR the largest funder of outdoor recreation and conservation projects in the Commonwealth, with projects funded in every county. Demand for grant funding far outpaces available resources because communities see the grants working for them. More than 90 percent of Pennsylvanians live in a municipality with a C2P2 program-funded grant, and 70 percent of all municipalities have at least one grant-funded project within their borders.
DCNR grant decisions are made through a rigorous competitive review process. Applications are evaluated and scored by expert teams based on clear criteria outlined in publicly available guidelines. These guidelines include provisions for executive review and considerations for addressing emergencies, unique opportunities, and Commonwealth priorities, such as closing trail gaps and supporting underserved communities.
We appreciate the Auditor General’s work and will take his Office’s recommendations into consideration.
DCNR remains dedicated to managing public funds responsibly to improve outdoor spaces, strengthen communities, and expand access to nature for all Pennsylvanians.
Statement from the DCNR
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