The Challenge Grant Program awards grants to permanently preserve agricultural land by purchasing development rights in accordance with the County’s adopted strategic plan and land use policies.
Donor Name: Chester County
State: Pennsylvania
County: Chester County (PA)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/01/2025
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Chester County Challenge Grant program offer funds to qualifying Chester County farm owners who are interested in preserving their farm. The County pays farm owners for their development rights in exchange for a permanent agricultural conservation easement on their land.
Eligibility Criteria
All of the following criteria must be met for a farm to be eligible for County Funds:
- Availability of 50% matching funds. The most common sources of matching funds are donated value from the landowner, funds from the township in which the farm is located, other private funds, or a combination of funding from these sources. To assess the potential for the County to partner with local townships, the County annually requests that Township Board of Supervisors who wish to participate, provide a written commitment of funds they intend to utilize for this purpose. The above may be waived if applicant indicates 50 percent bargain sale on their application or if local match funds are available from other sources and committed in writing. Enrolled in an adopted municipal Agricultural Security Area(s)
- Located in areas where farmland preservation has been determined to be consistent with adopted County Policy, or possessing unique attributes that make preservation appropriate as determined by the CCALPB
- The farmland tract shall encompass 25 acres if not contiguous to an existing protected tract, or a minimum of 10 acres if contiguous to another protected tract
- Contain at least 50 percent cropland, pasture or grazing land. This includes equestrian uses.
For more information, visit Chester County.
