​WASHINGTON, D.C.  (Sept. 28, 2021) – Pepco, together with its program administrator Rock Creek Conservancy, have chosen 11 local municipalities, recreational authorities and nonprofits to receive nearly $125,000 in funds to support open space and resiliency projects in the District of Columbia and Maryland. This funding is provided throughout the region as part of Pepco's Sustainable Communities Grant Program, which provides funding to support open space preservation, improvements to parks and recreation resources, environmental conservation and innovative community resiliency projects.

"Climate change and its social and environmental effects are among the most significant challenge facing the world today, and it is imperative that we take the steps to help preserve and restore our natural habitat while preparing for a world with more extreme weather and less predictability," said Melissa Lavinson, senior vice president of Governmental and External Affairs for Pepco Holdings. "The projects benefiting from this funding provide direct support to our communities, through the conservation of critical open space, supporting recreational opportunities and building resilience in the face of a changing climate. We have a vested interest in the wellbeing and success of our communities. It's what drives us. I'm excited to see these innovative projects in action, as well as the positive impacts they will have toward establishing a healthy environment and community."

In partnership with Rock Creek Conservancy, an award-winning nonprofit dedicated to the restoration of Rock Creek and its 33-mile watershed, Pepco provides grants to the following municipalities, recreational authorities and nonprofits:

• Audubon Naturalist Society ($10,000) – Supports the My Parks Protect My Streams program, which engages 60 residents of Edmonston and Riverdale Park in monitoring the health of nearby streams.
• City of Hyattsville ($9,975) – Supports the planting of 75 trees in the public right-of-way to help restore the city's tree canopy, which is depleted by emerald ash borer.
• City Blossoms (10,000) – Supports the development of Fort Stanton Urban Farm as a Community Green Space in the historic Anacostia neighborhood, a farm that is free and open to all and designed as a tool for children and youth to learn and explore.
• DC Greens ($10,000) – Toward opening a farm for health and community-building for the neighborhoods of Bellevue, Washington Highlands, and Congress Heights.
• Lanham Boys and Girls Club ($12,500) – Toward replacing incandescent bulbs on a baseball field with LEDs to reduce disruption to community recreation.
• Laurel for the Patuxent ($7,850) – Supports planting 75 trees on a three-fourths acre forest restoration site as the first phase of the restoration of Riverfront Park.
• Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection ($7,175) – Toward starting a rebate program to encourage residents and businesses to transition from the use of gas-powered lawn equipment to electric.
• New Partners Community Solar ($15,000) – Assist in developing emergency protocols, adjusting software, and programming the District's first solar and battery storage system for low-income benefit.
• One Montgomery Green ($22,500) – Assist the OMG Climate Resilience Project, which engages and educates at-risk communities of color by creating an assessment tool and a community-driven action plan that addresses climate change vulnerability.
• Town of Landover Hills ($10,000) – Supports the Landover Hills Forest Trail and improving and providing interpretive signage along a 750-foot trail that provides a key connection between public lands and extend the trail to a nearby road to improve access.
• Ward 8 Woods Conservancy ($10,000) – Supports removing tens of thousands of pounds of trash and rescue native trees from invasive vines along a 2.1 mile stretch of Suitland Parkway.
  

"The more frequent floods and major storm events we've seen in Rock Creek make clear that our public lands, which drive local climate resilience, need urgent conservation action. These eleven awards provide solutions that can help our communities in future disasters, conserve critical public lands, and connect our communities to these special places," said Jeanne Braha, executive director of Rock Creek Conservancy. "We are grateful for the support from Pepco and delighted to welcome the partnership of so many other organizations in this critical work to advance our region's open space priorities and enhancing resilience." 

Pepco's Sustainable Communities Grant Program provides $125,000 in grants annually to fund open space and environmental projects and resilience projects across Pepco's District of Columbia and Maryland service area. The program provides $75,000 in grants of up to $10,000 each to municipalities, recreational authorities and nonprofits for projects focusing on open space preservation, improvements to parks and recreation resources, and environmental conservation. The program also provides $50,000 in grants up to $25,000 each to support resilience projects.

Municipalities, recreational authorities and nonprofits in the Pepco service area can apply for a Sustainable Communities grant each year. A committee with representatives from Pepco, Rock Creek Conservancy, municipal agencies and conservation organizations reviews each application and selects the projects to receive funding.  

The grant application for 2021 is currently closed, but interested organizations can learn more about the Sustainable Communities Grant Program and how to submit a grant request at https://bit.ly/3kEqsgi.