[Philadelphia, PA] – Today, the Regional Foundation announced $4,750,000 in Implementation Grants to seven organizations throughout Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. The Neighborhood Implementation Grants program supports comprehensive community development plans that target specific neighborhoods, are resident-driven, and equity focused. The multi-year funding is designed to assist the foundation’s grantee partners to start or sustain momentum in their comprehensive neighborhood revitalization initiatives.
“The grants we announced today are an exciting next step in the journey of the Regional Foundation,” stated Kevin Dow, Executive Director of the foundation. “These community investments will further the success of organizations leading resident engaged, neighborhood revitalization efforts with stable funding for at least five years. Three of the grants represent new implementation investments while four of the seven sustain long standing partnerships.”
The Neighborhood Implementation Grantees are:
(1) AtlantiCare Foundation will receive $675,000 to begin implementation of its Midtown neighborhood revitalization plan in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Specifically, AtlantiCare will focus its work on “clean and safe” streets through a creative placemaking project that will empower residents through a new “ambassador” program and support small businesses. Their goals are to change the community’s perception of the Midtown neighborhood, drive sales at small businesses, make Midtown a destination for visitors and to create connectedness and joy among residents.
(2) Clinton Hill Community Action (CHCA) will receive a first-time investment of $1,000,000 in support of implementation of its Upper Clinton neighborhood plan in Newark, NJ. CHCA will serve as the backbone agency in a collaborative model, overseeing lead partners in its six focus areas of housing, education, economic development, environmental justice, wellness and social services, and community building. Public safety and creative placemaking are cross-cutting strategies pursued across each of the focus areas.
(3) HACE will receive $500,000 to continue its work in the Fairhill and St. Hugh neighborhoods of Philadelphia with a sustained focus on corridor development, affordable housing construction and preservation, open space improvements, safety, providing for families and elders, and resident engagement. To date, HACE has completed 80% of its neighborhood plan and leveraged $135M in public and private investments. Most of the plan is focused upon the built environment (housing, streetscapes, clean blocks / beautification). HACE also created a community land trust (Good Lands Trust) for long-term affordable homeownership with nine units being developed. Commercial and corridor development also feature prominently in planned activities.
(4) Mt. Airy CDC will receive $400,000 to continue its efforts in Philadelphia's Mt. Airy neighborhood in partnership with West Mt. Airy Neighbors, East Mt. Airy Neighbors, and the Mt. Airy BID. Major activities for this second round of implementation include commercial corridor work spanning 1.8 miles of Germantown Avenue, improvements to pedestrian safety and tree cover, reinvigoration of the Mt. Airy Schools Coalition, youth literacy programming, mixed-use and affordable housing development, expansion of housing counseling services, and resident engagement efforts.
(5) REACH Riverside will receive a first-time investment of $1,000,000 to begin implementation of its neighborhood revitalization plan in the Riverside and Northeast communities of Wilmington, DE. REACH Riverside (a CDC) is the managing partner for The WRK Group, which includes its service partners, The Warehouse, a youth programming space, and Kingswood Community Center, providing early learning education and senior citizen engagement. The WRK Group’s revitalization plan for the NE community of Wilmington builds on a 10-year partnership with municipal and state agencies and includes investments in homeownership opportunities, workforce development, high-quality education, community asset building, and much more.
(6) Tenfold will receive $775,000 in continued funding to support the next phase of its work in the Southwest (SoWe) Lancaster neighborhood in the City of Lancaster. Through community organizing, volunteer management and advocacy, marketing resources to the community, and collaborating with neighborhood nonprofits, Tenfold will continue its focus on six priority areas, which include Neighborhood Connections and the expansion of its block liaison program, housing services through its Financial Empowerment Center and home repair programs; expanded programming at the Culliton, SoWe and Brandon Parks; Community Emergency Response Training to residents; expansion of the community school model; and Economic Opportunity through its partners to support workforce and small business assistance along the Manor Street commercial corridor.
(7) The Enterprise Center CDC will receive $400,000 in continued support of its work in the Walnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia and highly focused on the 52nd Street Commercial Corridor in several ways, including the built environment through the Walnut Hill Community Farm in partnership with Locke Elementary; 52nd St beautification and economic development; as well as the 46th & Market project which is a multi-unit residential, and commercial complex with affordable housing units. Regional Foundation support will also assist the CDC’s work to support minority and/or women owned business or enterprises.
Each grant is a five-year investment designed to support long-term, resident-driven neighborhood revitalization to improve the quality of life for children and families living in low-income communities.