The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy wants to give you its money. Some of it, anyway. But to get it, you have to establish or improve access points to canoeing and kayaking destinations in Western Pennsylvania waterways.

The WPC is accepting applications for grants awarded through its new Canoe Access Development Fund. Recipients can get up to $4,000 to be used to improve access to waterway recreation.

The funding may be used to add parking spaces at launch points, build access areas and trails leading to waterways, purchase riparian land, acquire conservation easements on river- or stream-side properties or upgrade existing waterway access. Among the eligibility criteria, the projects have to be located on Class 2 or Class 3 rapids in Western Pennsylvania.

The emphasis isn't on the amount of paddle-able water in the state, said WPC's Eli Long. It's about access to it.

"There are plenty of wonderful streams throughout the state, but more often than not they're not easy to find or not suitable for easy access," he said. "Experienced canoers may get used to the difficulties in getting to the water, but less experienced people may find it frustrating."

The new grants aren't designed to fund ramps for launching trailered boats -- they're for "more minimal, small-scale improvements."

"Putting paths on hillsides, brushy areas, places like that," said Long. "We don't want to make it too easy -- we want [access] to be rustic and natural, but we don't want people to fall down the hill getting on the water."

Applications are available on the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Web site (www.waterlandlife.org/112/conserving-water) and must be postmarked by Sept. 5, 2008. Projects will be reviewed by WPC staff. Successful applicants will be notified by early October. For details, contact the WPC at 724-459-0953, extension 106.