New Signage Grants Awarded in All Counties of the Pennsylvania Wilds

The Pennsylvania Wilds is pleased to announce that awards have been granted, designs accepted, and that signs are beginning to be installed across the region as part of the Pennsylvania Wilds Business Signage Program and the Pennsylvania Wilds Community Signage Program. At least one community or business sign was awarded to every county in the Pennsylvania Wilds region.

Grants provide up to $1,000 to business owners to upgrade existing business signage, and up to $3,000 to communities that want to construct welcome signage. The program was funded by $25,000 in grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation of Natural Resources, and $25,000 in grants from the Department of Community and Economic Development.

“The primary goal is to help people improve the look and feel of their communities,” said Pennsylvania Wilds Community Outreach Specialist Sam MacDonald. “Great business and welcome signage can make communities more inviting to locals and visitors alike. One of the great strengths of the PA Wilds region is the sense of community character that you see from town to town, county to county. We are hoping to build on that.”

“We were thrilled with the response to the program,” MacDonald added. “We received 63 applications in total, requesting more than $110,000 in funding. It was extremely competitive. We think that we selected a strong group that illustrates all the things that great signage can do. We also worked very hard to use this process to educate people about resources that already exist, especially the Pennsylvania Wilds Design Guide and websites like www.pawildsresources.org.

Most of the businesses and communities in our region are too small to employ full-time grant writers or fundraisers. We wanted to educate them about the grant-writing process, and help them get excited about the idea of building community character. We didn’t design the signs. The businesses and communities did, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the creative and innovative ideas they have developed.”

Business Recipients, By County:

Copy Katz/Endeavor News
Cameron

Black Moshannon Lodge
Centre

Bells and Whistles
Clearfield

St. Charles Café
Clearfield

Winkler Gallery of Art
Clearfield

Darlene's
Clinton

Summit Motel
Elk

Grant's Pass
Elk

Wapiti Woods
Elk

Old Charm Bed and Breakfast
Elk

Riverside Campground
Lycoming

Firestone Forge
Potter

Blackwell Church
Tioga

Tioga Central Railroad
Tioga

J. Lauren Interior Design
Warren


Community Recipients, By County

Sylvan Heritage Council
Cameron

New Bethlehem Borough
Clarion

Coalport Borough
Clearfield

Renovo Borough
Clinton

Benezette
Elk

Johnsonburg Borough
Elk

St. Mary's Chamber of Commerce
Elk

Jones Township
Elk

Forest County
Forest

Punxsy Chamber of Commerce
Jefferson

Lafayette Township
McKean

Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau
McKean

Clarendon Borough
Warren

Sheffield Township
Warren