By Tom Schuster, Director, Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter; Chair, Huplits Committee
Each year, the Allegheny Group of the Sierra Club administers grant awards made possible by funding from the Huplits Foundation Trust. A committee of statewide Sierra Club members appointed by the Allegheny Group Executive Committee solicits funding proposals for projects that further the mission and goals of the Sierra Club throughout Pennsylvania. Proposals from entities within the Sierra Club, as well as outside charitable organizations that align with our mission, are considered.
This summer, we received a robust set of proposals, with funding requests more than double our available pool of funds. Last month, after careful deliberation, the Huplits Grant Committee voted to award $56,375 to seven applicants. The following are this year’s award winners:
Western PA Conservancy: $10,000
This project is focused on the conservation and stewardship of the state-endangered and federally threatened eastern massasauga rattlesnake and the least weasel, currently under status review. WPC will conduct surveys and update conservation information for the least weasel and state eastern massasauga in northwest Pennsylvania, and manage a 55-acre habitat for the eastern massasauga in Venango County.
Three Rivers Waterkeeper: $9,000
An expanded effort to track microplastic and wastewater pollution in the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers and their respective watersheds, and hold polluters accountable through data-driven community education and regulatory advocacy aimed at protecting this critical drinking water source for nearly five million people.
Lehigh River Stocking Association: $7,300
The group will install water quality monitors at four confluences with the Lehigh River to determine the suitability for restoration of brook trout, and to identify and report any pollution spikes that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Philadelphia Metro Wildlife Center: $4,675
Funding will support free wildlife education programs featuring live animal ambassadors for schools and community organizations that cannot afford PMWC's standard program fee, expanding access to meaningful wildlife encounters for under-resourced communities across Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Let’s Go 1-2-3: $10,000
The funding will support the creation of a program for Philadelphia underserved teens that helps them become environmental advocates through a combined hiking and stewardship activity, with a story-based testimonial to be used publicly.
Citizens for Responsible Development - Lower Saucon Township: $8,000
The group continues its fight to protect a threatened 275-acre forested conservation area and riparian corridor near the Lehigh River from the proposed expansion of the Bethlehem Landfill onto that land. Funding will support resident education, mobilizing public participation, and supporting continued defense of recent court victories against the landfill expansion.
Pennsylvania Bat Rescue: $7,400
Funding will support the group’s efforts to educate the public about the importance of bats to our ecosystem. It will allow for upgrades to web-based educational materials and information, and support for in-person programs about bat ecology, conservation, and rehabilitation efforts.
Congratulations to this year’s winners!
We will solicit another round of proposals in the Spring of 2027. Please keep an eye out for the Request for Proposals, and if you know an organization with a worthwhile project, please encourage them to apply. If you are a Sierra Club member and are interested in serving on next year’s Huplits Committee to have a say in how this funding is invested, please contact me through our form. We’d love to hear from you!
This blog was included as part of the October 2026 Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!