Skip to main content

Official website

of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    The .gov means it's official.

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 
    Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

    Apply for a Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation (R3) Education Grant

    The R3 Education Grant Program (R3 Grant) provides funding to support R3-related fishing and boating education programs delivered by our partners. Supporting partners in their efforts to deliver such programming significantly increases learning opportunities for current, past, and future anglers and boaters.

    Apply for the R3 Grant

    About the R3 Grant

    The intent of this grant is to primarily support the acquisition of fishing and boating equipment and facilitation of R3 efforts.

    The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) will reimburse qualifying organizations up to $25,000 for eligible expenses for projects running approximately July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The grant requires a minimum 25% match of total project costs.

    This is a reimbursable grant program. Grant funds will be disbursed to the grant recipient only after completion of the project. The PFBC will in no case pre-approve or disburse, in advance, any grant funds. 

    Apply for the R3 Grant

    Eligibility and Priorities

    Organizations eligible for funding include school districts, universities and colleges, community and civic groups, sporting and conservation organizations, and local recreation departments. State government agencies are not eligible. 

    Projects can span a variety of topics within fishing and boating in Pennsylvania, such as but not limited to introductory fishing skills, fishing skills targeting specific species, fly fishing skills, kayak fishing, and paddlesports. Priority consideration will be given to applications that incorporate one or more of the following key areas supported by recent R3 research:

    • Projects providing multiple, hands-on fishing and/or boating opportunities.
    • Projects reaching underrepresented audiences in the fishing and boating population including girls, women, young adults ages 18-25, participants of diverse demographic backgrounds, participants with disabilities, and other groups.
    • Projects occurring in Environmental Justice Areas as outlined by Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
    • Projects occurring in locations that are accessible to the public or empower participants with an understanding of where to fish or boat in their communities.
    • Implementing education efforts targeting outdoor recreationists, to encourage fishing or boating participation as part of other outdoor recreation or social activities.
    • Projects that are free or have reasonable and/or minimal fees incurred by participants.
    • Preference is given to applications that do not rely heavily on staff time reimbursement.

    Projects and organizations previously funded by this grant  must demonstrate how additional funds will be used to innovate or expand the program.

    R3 Grant Timeline 

    • September 15, 2025 – Application period opens
    • December 1, 2025 – Application deadline
    • March 2026 – Approximate grant award announcement
    • July 1, 2026 – Approximate start date pending final Comptroller approval
    • January 15, 2027 – Progress report and first invoice due
    • June 30, 2027 – Project completion date
    • July 15, 2027 – Final report and invoice due

    Contact Information for Questions About the Program

    Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
    Bureau of Outreach, Education and Marketing
    R3 Grant Program
    PO Box 67000
    Harrisburg PA 17106-7000
    Email: RA-FB-Education@pa.gov