Welcome to the South Mountain Partnership

The South Mountain Partnership has a new web site!! Please visit http://www.southmountainpartnership.org. The South Mountain blog will continue to be hosted at http://southmountaincli.blogspot.com

SAVE THE DATE AND REGISTER...

Partnership-wide Meeting 
Thursday,
March 29th, 2012
1 P.M. - 4:30 A.M.
at the Shippensburg University Conference Center

Note: These meetings are open to any citizen or organization interested in learning more about the Partnership or being actively involved in what we do. Registration is required but is typically free.  We hope you can join us! 
Agenda:                                                                                   



1 p.m.  Partner-wide MeetingUpdates                     

Open partner sharing / updates (open to any organizations that have a major update).
  
Major Projects For 2012:

  • Learn about some of the major projects of the Partnership in 2012
  • Learn how you can engage or participate in these projects
1:30- 2:20 p.m. /   "State of the State"             
Hear from a panel of state agencies on state updates that will have impacts on the South Mountain Region, topics may include:
  • Recreation, trails, and greenways (direction and funding)
  • Planning assistance for local governments
  • The implications of House Bill 1950 (Marcellus Shale Impact Fee)
  • Heritage/ historic funding
  • Agricultural updates
Panel will include:  
Lauren Imgrund, Director of Recreation and Conservation, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources 
- Jean Cutler, Director of the Bureau for Historic Preservation, Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission  
- Lela Reichart, Agriculture Marketing Division Chief, PA Department of Agriculture
- Kim Wheeler, Community Planner, Department of Community and Economic Development

2:20- 2:30 p.m. /               Break / Networking     

2:30- 4:30 p.m. /   Partnering With Colleges andUniversities  in the South Mountain Region:         
2:30-3:00 p.m.  /  
Getting the Most Out of An Internship Opportunity 
Speaker Kim Long, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Shippensburg University will discuss how to hone your skills in attracting interns and provide you with resources to help you along your way.  She will help you understand the common pitfalls for organizations and how Shippensburg internship program works.
  
3:00- 3:45 p.m. /
Engaging With Higher Learning Institutions In Service Learning Projects  Hear from surrounding colleges and universities how to partner in effective learning service projects from the beginning of the to completion.  Panel of speakers include:
  
-  Shalom Staub / Associate Provost of Service Learning, Dickinson College
-  Keith Jones Pomeroy / Program Manager, AgapĂ© Centerof Messiah College
 Sean Cornell / Professor, Earth Sciences Department, Shippensburg University

3:45- 4:30 p.m. /  University & College 
"Speed Networking"_________________________
Be a part of a meet and greet session where you can meet university staff and professors who are interested in engaging with local organizations on projects and/ or potential internship opportunities.
  
4:00- 4:30 p.m. /    Mini-Grant Workshop                 
Hear about the most current grant opportunity from the Partnership.  Learn the basics for applying.  Deadline is July 31st, 2012.

The South Mountain Partnership Mini-Grant program, administered by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), has been awarded grant funds from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and will be accepting grant applications until the program deadline of July 31, 2012. This program provides grants that communities and organizations can use to preserve and promote their natural and cultural assets.

In 2012, $100,000 in grants will be available with a required 1:1 match.  The application is available for download. The ATC and DCNR encourage any municipality, registered Pennsylvania non-profits, or learning institution to begin considering projects that may fit the grant criteria. Projects must be located in Cumberland, Franklin, Adams, or York counties.  Go towww.southmountainpartnership.org   for an application and many other grant resources .