BUTLER TWP — About 50 township supervisors, municipal managers, nonprofit group leaders and others got an education on the state grants and local programs available to them.

State Rep. Marci Mustello, R-11th, and Jordan Grady, president of the Butler Chamber of Commerce, hosted a Pennsylvania Grant Seminar on Thursday, Oct. 6, at Butler County Community College.

Johnna Pro, regional director at the state Department of Community and Economic Development, offered one main piece of advice she said applies to everyone applying for all grants.

“Chasing grants is not a productive activity,” Pro said. “Funding should not drive your projects — your project needs to drive the funding.”

She said people applying for grants should be specific in their applications, especially regarding the amount the applicant has available in matching funds.

“There is no magic pot of money or leprechaun in a green suit,” Pro said. “You need to bring something to the table.”

She said the better and more detailed the plan, the more likely the DCED is to fund it.

“Your only job is to come to the table with a plan,” Pro said. “Our job is to figure out what potential funding sources there are.”

She added that the number one reason grant applications are unsuccessful is that the writer did not follow all the grant guidelines.

“If it says to upload a budget, upload a budget,” Pro said. “If it says to upload a map, upload a map that is readable.”

She said one large DCNR grant saw dozens of school districts apply when the funds were not available to school districts.

Pro also advised against convoluted writing that must be deciphered by the grant reader, and assuming the reader knows about the project that needs funding.

“People reading grant applications are not mind readers,” she said.

She encouraged municipalities and nonprofits to apply for grants for their projects and to do it right.

“Our job as state employees isn’t to keep the money,” Pro said. “We want the money to come here.”

Kimberly Yeakle of the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Northwest Region, detailed how to apply for a grant and the type of projects the DEP supports.

She said the agency’s electronic single application system allows municipal officials and others to apply for grants via an online form that does not require mailing, ensures it is submitted and can save unfinished applications.

Yeakle said entities that do not have matching grant funds can use employee salaries, volunteer hours, equipment costs and other expenses as their match in some cases.

She said successful applicants follow instructions, are clear, label attachments properly, list an available contact person, and ask questions before, rather than after, the funding cycle is closed.

“Give yourself plenty of time to apply correctly,” Yeakle said. “Your project deserves it.”

Other agencies presenting at the forum were the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission, the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the county Housing and Redevelopment Authority.

HRG Engineering & Related Services also sent representatives to the event, as the firm is heavily involved in municipal projects throughout the county.

Leslie Stewart, the secretary/treasurer at Donegal Township, said she attended to learn the best way to apply for grants to pave Hickey Bottom Road, which now has a dirt and gravel surface.

She said township officials are also interested in grants to financially support Karns City Regional Ambulance Co. and the Chicora Independent Hose Co., the township’s designated fire company.

Rick Green and Roxann Stickney, supervisor and township manager at Summit Township, respectively, hoped to get tips on getting grants to fund the construction of a $24 million sewer plant, as required by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

“We hope to learn what is available to help us,” Green said.

Amy Cousins, secretary at Washington Township, attended to get tips on applying for grants, as the rural township is in need of funds to improve road surfaces.

Cousins said while the township received two county grants to pave their dirt and gravel roads, applying for state grants is a more complicated process.

“We hope to get guidance on filling out different grants,” she said.

Denton Zeronas, a Slippery Rock councilman, said he attended the event to put a face to the names he sees when the borough applies for grants.

Christian Laskey, a Slippery Rock borough employee, was amazed at the many helpful programs available to citizens and municipalities through the Housing and Redevelopment Authority.

“We’ve used the housing authority for multiple projects, and today, I found out they have even more to offer,” Laskey said.

Rich Hill, Buffalo Township manager, attended to learn where to find grants for the growing municipality’s projects.

“I thought it was very informative,” Hill said of the seminar.

Nancy Zacherl, a board member with the Friends of the Saxonburg Police volunteer group, also appreciated the seminar and found it worthwhile.

“What a benefit to the community this is, to provide organizational avenues to nonprofits to get additional funds for projects,” Zacherl said.

Grady, who served as moderator at the event, was pleased with the turnout and enthusiasm for the seminar.

“I hope they learned the resources that are available,” Grady said. “The end goal is to get money back into the community.”

Mustello said the feedback she received equaled approval of the event.

“They really learned about the programs that can help their municipalities or organizations,” she said.