Below are upcoming funding/grant opportunities at all levels of government. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions about the process to apply.
The COVID-19 ARPA PA Multi-Purpose Community Facilities Program, funded under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, is designed to support the construction, acquisition, or improvement of community facilities in Pennsylvania. This program is managed by the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority at the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and offers approximately $45 million in competitive grants.
Eligibility for these grants extends to community anchor institutions, non-profit organizations, and units of local government. These entities must demonstrate the technical, managerial, and financial expertise required to successfully execute the proposed project. The focus of these projects should be on facilities that will be open to the public and enable activities such as work, education, and health monitoring.
Regarding financial specifics, the minimum grant amount for any project under this program is set at $250,000. The maximum amount that can be awarded for a project is $2 million. It's important to note that for project costs to be eligible for reimbursement, they must be incurred within the timeframe established by the grant agreement.
Applications for this program are being accepted from January 22, 2024 to April 20, 2024. This gives eligible organizations a significant window to prepare and submit their applications.
For more detailed information and guidelines, interested parties should refer to the official program page on the DCED website. Feel free to reach out to a CCP team member for more information.
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has announced that the Keystone Historic Preservation Grant Program is now open. This program is open to nonprofit organizations and local governments. Grants support projects that identify, preserve, promote, and protect historic and archaeological resources in Pennsylvania for both the benefit of the public and community revitalization. The grants receive funding from the Keystone Recreation, Park & Conservation Fund. A total of $2 million has been set aside for this program. Two categories of grants – construction and planning – are available for historic resources in Pennsylvania that are listed, or eligible for listing, in the National Register of Historic Places. Applicants may apply for only one type of grant. This is a very competitive program, so be sure to contact us for if you're interested in applying.
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is accepting applications for the Community Conservation Partnership Program Grants. This program offers funding for a broad range of projects, including the rehabilitation and development of parks, trail planning and construction, land acquisition, river access projects, riparian planting projects, and resource management partnerships.
Eligibility for these grants extends to a wide range of applicants, supporting diverse conservation and recreational initiatives. In the past, the program has funded various projects, such as park and trail improvements, recreational water access, and resource management partnerships. For example, one of the grants awarded last year provided $50,000 for rehabilitation work at a park, including renovations, walkway construction, utility installation, access for individuals with disabilities, landscaping, and signage. Another grant awarded $147,600 for the acquisition of property for riverfront development, including a trail, river access, and related parking.
The funding for these grants comes from various federal and state sources, ensuring a robust support system for a wide array of projects. The grant applications for the year 2024 are open until 4 p.m. on April 3, 2024. DCNR staff are available to assist applicants with questions, site visits, and developing competitive applications.
For more detailed information and to apply, you can visit the DCNR's grant application portal.
Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act), a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness.
This Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will rebuild America’s roads, bridges, and rails, expand access to clean drinking water, ensure every American has access to high-speed internet, tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice, and invest in communities across the US.
Several departments and agencies are tasked with dispursing funds to states, local governments, and other eligible entities. They include:
For information on funding opportunities, please follow the link below. By clicking, you will be able to download a PDF of the White House's Technical Assistance Document, published May 18, 2022. Grants and timelines are also listed on dedicate webpages in each government department/agency (hyperlinked above) and announced through grants.gov.
The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. RACP projects are authorized in the Redevelopment Assistance section of a Capital Budget Itemization Act, have a regional or multi-jurisdictional impact, and generate substantial increases or maintain current levels of employment, tax revenues, or other measures of economic activity. RACP projects are state-funded projects that cannot obtain primary funding under other state programs.
The important stories impacting our clients, region, state, and country are here. Check below for new grant opportunities and other tools to help navigate government affairs.
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has announced that the Keystone Historic Preservation Grant Program is now open. This program is open to nonprofit organizations and local governments.
Grants support projects that identify, preserve, promote, and protect historic and archaeological resources in Pennsylvania for both the benefit of the public and community revitalization. The grants receive funding from the Keystone Recreation, Park & Conservation Fund. A total of $2 million has been set aside for this program.
Two categories of grants – construction and planning – are available for historic resources in Pennsylvania that are listed, or eligible for listing, in the National Register of Historic Places. Applicants may apply for only one type of grant. This is a very competitive program, so be sure to contact us for if you're interested in applying!
U.S. Senator Bob Casey supported and requested funding for the Mansmann Foundation through congressionally directed community project funding. The Entrepreneurs Forever program is one of 17 community projects selected by Appropriations Subcommittees around Southwestern Pennsylvania in the Senate Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Appropriations bills.
Entrepreneurs Forever will expand their peer-to-peer entrepreneurship program, intended for small businesses making under $1 million, to 300 local small businesses in 25 counties in western Pennsylvania with this funding The Mansmann Foundation is based in Pittsburgh.
Support from Congressman David Trone’s Community Project, in the amount of $750,000, will allow the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) – Hagerstown to construct a new 10,000-square-foot facility that will provide additional workshop and instructional space. PIA Hagerstown is a significant community anchor, demonstrating its commitment to outreach and service to all students in Maryland.
Congressman Guy Reschenthaler supported and requested $805,233 in funding for the Westmoreland Food Bank to help fund necessary facility expansion needs. Funds were included in the package of Appropriations bills passed by the House of Representatives.
The requested funding will be used to construct a new volunteer center, on-site food pantry, and space for warehouse and refrigerated storage expansion. The renovations would ensure the food bank does not have to turn away fresh produce, can provide space for a growing volunteer community, and establish an on-site food pantry for emergency food assistance.
Congressman Mike Doyle supported and requested $750,000 in funding for the Carnegie Library of Homestead to facilitate ADA improvements to the library’s historic music hall. The Carnegie Library of Homestead was one of 9 projects supported by Congressman Mike Dyle to be included in Appropriations Bills.
Funding will be used to make essential upgrades to the Carnegie Library of Homestead Music Hall, making the Music Hall fully ADA-compliant throughout the theater. This project is part of a broader renovation of this historic structure.
The Carnegie Library of Homestead was one of thirteen new NEH Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grants announced this year.
The NEH Challenge Grant leverages federal funds to spur nonfederal support for cultural institutions, will enable projects such as the Carnegie Library of Homestead's extensive rehabilitation project in its library facilities.
Other awardees include:
Governor Wolf and Senator Jay Costa announced $1,000,000 in funding for Carnegie Library of Homestead's renovation and rehabilitation efforts. Funds will be used to pay construction loans for the completed Phase 1 Music Hall renovations.
These funds are integral to the Library's critical rehabilitation efforts and will allow CLoH to continue providing free educational and cultural programs to everyone in the community.
Click on the link below for more information on RACP-funded projects and the RACP program.
Anne Dudro and Dan Soltesz from the CCP Team had the opportunity to lead a session at the Mid-Atlantic Association of Career Schools' (MAACS) Annual Conference. We focused on the necessity of educational institutions to have a proper government affairs strategy and the importance of working with government officials at all levels. We were happy to share information we've gained from our extensive experience working at the local, state, and federal levels of government.
This article was written and published by Aviation Pros. The website link is at the bottom of the article, copied and pasted here.
Suzanne Markle, President, and CEO of Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, has been appointed as a member of a newly-formed advisory board tasked with encouraging women’s involvement in the aviation industry.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced Ms. Markle’s appointment along with other board members to the newly-formed Women in Aviation Advisory Board (WIAAB).
WIAAB’s mission is to assess education, training, mentorship opportunities, outreach, and recruitment of women into the aviation industry. Former U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson will serve as chair of the board.
According to the Aviation Technician Education Council’s Annual Pipeline Report, females make up 2.52% of the certified mechanics in the FAA airmen database, a number that has been slowly increasing over several years.
WIAAB board members represent a wide-range of aviation organizations, including major airlines, non-profits, airports, and institutions of higher education.
“I am honored to be given the opportunity to represent Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics on the Women in Aviation Advisory Board,” says Markle. “The Aviation industry represents one of the world’s largest infrastructures and provides some of the most rewarding and lucrative careers available. Therefore, no group should be underrepresented. I believe there is much we can do to encourage women to explore these opportunities and to identify and remove barriers to their success. I look forward to working with the accomplished membership on this board, and I hope to make some meaningful contributions to its mission.”
Board members represent a diverse range of backgrounds and expertise, including those from major airlines and aerospace companies, nonprofit organizations within the aviation industry, aviation and engineering business associations, the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol, and institutions of higher education and aviation trade schools.
A full list of appointees and their biographies is available here.
“From Secretary Chao to the several women on my senior leadership team, and the more than 10,000 women in the FAA, we see the professionalism and contributions that make our aviation industry the gold standard for the world every day,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. “We salute the WIAAB’s new board members for their commitment to illuminate this career path for more women.”
Members will be appointed to the WIAAB for the duration of its existence, which is anticipated to be a minimum of 2 years, and will meet up to two times per year to carry out its duties.
At the Westmoreland Food Bank today, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and Second Lady Gisele Fetterman joined Pennsylvania's anti-hunger organizations and food banks to announce a new partnership with DoorDash to have healthy, nutritious meals delivered to homebound seniors in need.
The initiative, unveiled during Hunger Action Month, is designed to remove barriers and increase enrollment in the underutilized Pennsylvania Senior Food Box Program, which provides life-sustaining meal deliveries and nutrition services to eligible older Pennsylvanians.
"It's high time that Pennsylvania's food assistance programs offer services tailored to the unique needs of their recipients and actively work to remove barriers to access," said Redding. "This partnership with DoorDash to deliver Senior Food Boxes is a commonsense solution that will make saying 'yes' to the box easy. Accepting assistance can be hard enough for some, wondering how to get the food home should never be an added worry."
More than 300,000 Pennsylvania seniors are eligible for the Pennsylvania Senior Food Box Program, but only about 35,000 are enrolled to receive it this year. Seniors often face barriers to access for food assistance programs because of issues such as transportation, mobility, or technology.
Hunger-Free Pennsylvania, Feeding Pennsylvania and their network of food banks are partnering with DoorDash where its coverage overlaps with agencies administering the food box program. Dashers then will deliver boxes to seniors in need. As with any DoorDash delivery, Dashers are compensated.
"Our seniors deserve fresh, nutritious food. Transportation should never be a barrier to life-sustaining nourishment," Pennsylvania Second Lady Gisele Fetterman said.
In Pennsylvania, eligible participants for the Pennsylvania Senior Food Box Program include low-income individuals who are at least 60 years old and whose household income is at or below 130 percent of the U.S. poverty level. Seniors can fill out the self-certification form found on Agriculture's website at agriculture.pa.gov/seniorfoodbox or call 800-468-2433 to be directed to the regional food bank distributing the senior food box in their county of residence.
"DoorDash is proud to partner with Hunger-Free Pennsylvania, Feeding Pennsylvania, and others to power the delivery of food boxes to seniors through Project DASH and to celebrate this work alongside Secretary Redding and Second Lady Fetterman. This partnership is another example of DoorDash helping to meet an ongoing need for underserved communities," said Brittany Graunke, DoorDash Drive's Director of Government and Nonprofit. "Leveraging our last-mile logistics platform, we are committed to promoting convenience and dignity while reducing barriers to accessing meals, groceries, and pantry items."
This partnership with DoorDash is part of the company's work through Project DASH, an initiative that connects food banks and food pantries with clients through last mile delivery. To date, Project DASH has made more than 900,000 deliveries of an estimated more than 15 million meals in more than 900 cities in the U.S. and Canada.
The program is already up and running in several communities across the commonwealth. More than 365 meals have been delivered as part of the launch. In southwestern Pennsylvania, Westmoreland Food Bank, Fayette County Community Action Food Bank and Food Helpers are among the first to utilize the service, with deliveries set for seniors who signed up for the service.
"Hunger and food insecurity are serious problems in America and throughout Westmoreland County, especially among seniors," Westmoreland Food Bank CEO Jennifer Miller said. "We've seen more people coming through our doors in recent years. This partnership with DoorDash helps us fill a void by getting food delivered to those who can't make it here for help."
Currently, 10 counties are being served by DoorDash as part of the innovative partnership. They include Bucks, Dauphin, Erie, Fayette, Luzerne, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Washington, Westmoreland and York. The program remains open to other counties as it continues to grow.
Hunger-Free Pennsylvania is the state's partner in administering the federally-funded Senior Food Box Program, formally known as the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), which leverages government buying power to provide nutritious food packages to low-income residents. Recently, Hunger-Free Pennsylvania and the Department of Agriculture worked together to rebrand CSFP to the Pennsylvania Senior Food Box Program and removed the requirement where seniors had to provide documented proof of income when applying to receive the box.
"No senior in need should ever go hungry," Hunger-Free Pennsylvania Executive Director Sheila Christopher said. "Through this innovative partnership, we can remove barriers and increase enrollment while simultaneously reducing the stigma of hunger. Thousands of seniors are eligible for assistance but not getting it. We want them to know the resources are available so they can take advantage of this service to get the meals they need to stay healthy and strong."
Hunger-Free Pennsylvania also recently launched a pilot with PACE and PACENET, Pennsylvania's prescription assistance programs for older adults. Because eligibility requirements for prescription assistance and the Pennsylvania Senior Food Box Program mirror each other so closely, the organizations are able to capture people seeking low-cost prescription medication and bring them into the charitable food program. Since its launch this summer, the effort has already drawn more than 2,800 applications for food boxes provided by nine different regional food banks.
"You can't fight hunger alone," said Tom Snedden, the Department of Aging's PACE Director. "All of these successes are proof of what we can accomplish together when organizations work together to identify and serve those who need help the most."
We are pleased to announce that several of our clients at Commonwealth Consulting Partners have been awarded grants through the 2020 Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program. The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. Projects typically approved for RACP funding are long-term projects with a minimum cost of $1,000,000.
CCP clients were awarded $4,500,000 in grants through this program. Some of the clients that received grants include:
Andrew G. Uram Family Partnership - $500,000
Balmaghie Beverage Group - $500,000
Munhall Borough - $1,000,000