Opportunity Overview
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is accepting applications for the 2027 R3 Education Grant, a reimbursement program supporting education projects that recruit, retain, or reactivate participants in fishing and boating in Pennsylvania.
Funding
PFBC may reimburse qualifying organizations for eligible project costs up to $25,000. Applicants must provide a minimum 25% match of total project costs. The current guidelines require successful applicants to be registered in the Pennsylvania Supplier Portal and to have a Commonwealth vendor number before reimbursement.
Who Can Apply
Current PFBC materials identify eligible applicants including Pennsylvania school districts, universities and colleges, community and civic groups, sporting and conservation organizations, and local recreation departments. Pennsylvania state government agencies are not eligible.
Program Priorities
Competitive projects should create meaningful hands-on fishing or boating education opportunities and are stronger when they provide multiple participation opportunities, reach underrepresented audiences, serve environmental-justice communities or public-access locations, connect fishing or boating with other outdoor recreation, keep participant fees low, and limit reliance on reimbursed staff time.
Allowable and Restricted Costs
The current guidelines permit eligible fishing and boating education expenses subject to PFBC rules. Staff time and substitute-teacher costs may be reimbursable, but together may not exceed 50% of awarded grant funding. The guidelines exclude costs unrelated to fishing or boating education and identify electronics such as computers, GPS units, and similar technology among ineligible expenses.
Application and Deadline
The 2027 cycle opened September 16, 2026. The current PFBC application instructs applicants to email the completed digital application to RA-FB-Education@pa.gov using the subject line R3 Grant App – Organization Name by 4:00 PM on December 1, 2026. The controlling application does not state a time zone. Applicants should not infer one and should submit well before the stated clock time.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 70/100. This is a legitimate Pennsylvania education opportunity with direct school-district, college, university, nonprofit, and local-recreation eligibility, but it is narrowly limited to fishing and boating education.
N9+ Fit: 0/100. QC Healthcare Fit: 0/100. The program is not a healthcare-technology funding path. Current guidelines exclude non-fishing/boating equipment and specifically restrict electronics, so the Nonagon N9+ platform should not be positioned for this grant. Dr. Miltie is not a direct-applicant fit under the published eligibility categories, and the mandatory 25% match would independently block an unapproved direct path.
Next Action
Eligible Pennsylvania schools, colleges, universities, nonprofits, conservation groups, and local recreation departments should define a hands-on fishing or boating education project, document the required 25% match, confirm all proposed costs against the current guidelines, complete Supplier Portal/vendor registration where required, and submit the official application well before December 1, 2026 at 4:00 PM. Because PFBC does not state a deadline time zone in the controlling application, Atlas blocks new applicant outreach until PFBC provides authoritative time-zone clarification.
Verified source: Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission R3 Education Grant program page and current 2027 R3 Education Grant Guidelines & Application; verified September 16, 2026.