Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf announced today the approval of nearly $36 million to 220 community revitalization projects across the commonwealth. The funding through the Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) supports nonprofits, businesses, and resident projects in distressed areas or low-income neighborhoods.

“Communities from every corner of Pennsylvania will benefit from this funding – the result of public-private partnerships and cooperation,” said Gov. Wolf. “We are pleased to continue supporting NAP applicants who are committed to advancing and improving communities by making thoughtful plans to address the issues impacting their neighborhoods. These projects make the state stronger as a whole and keep it the best place to live, work, and play.”

The program also provides for COVID-19 and social justice related assistance. In recognition of the unprecedented level of challenges these events posed for residents of the commonwealth, a special emphasis was placed upon, and priority was given, to projects that sought to address critical issues related to the pandemic, its aftermath and recovery, social justice and support for policy changing movements, and improving opportunities for marginalized populations.

NAP encourages private sector investment into projects that will help improve distressed communities by providing tax credits to businesses that donate capital to support projects that address neighborhood and community problems. NAP can be used for projects in categories including affordable housing, community services, crime prevention, education, job training, charitable food, blight, special population issues, veteran’s initiatives, and long-term community revitalization.

The approved funding will support:

• Nineteen community investments in the central region. One project in Dauphin County will support continued service to single mothers, grandmothers, and their children experiencing homelessness. This includes bridge housing, supportive services, removing housing barriers, and teaching the skills needed to maintain housing.
• Seventy-seven community investments in the southwest region. One project in Allegheny County will assist women in early recovery, providing behavioral health treatment and recovery support services in one geographic location.
• Sixty community investments in the southeast region. One project in Montgomery County will help support revitalization efforts to address blight and improve safety, housing, and commercial development. Projects will update the community revitalization plan, increase financial literacy, improve community gardens, and promote healthy communities.
• Nineteen community investments in the northeast region. One project in Luzerne County will help address the need for childcare facilities—a casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic—so that individuals with children seeking employment can obtain reliable childcare. This will provide parents/guardians with necessary support services, assist local businesses by enabling employees to work, reuse an under-utilized building, establish a new business that will employ 45, and provide support to 160 children.
• Twenty-nine community investments in the northwest region. One project in Clarion County will address the limited availability of recreational spaces for residents after COVID-19 mitigation efforts left some of the most vulnerable residents without accessible and affordable recreational space. Funding will support the construction of a park to offset the closure of interior spaces. The park will provide new, previously inaccessible access to recreational amenities to residents young and old, as well as disabled and low-income residents.
• Sixteen community investments in the Lehigh Valley region. One project in Berks County will help minority-owned businesses obtain weeks of assistive program and webinar training to address obstacles presented to businesses by the COVID-19 pandemic. Training includes but is not limited to management topics, retirement planning, executive compensation planning, treasury enhancement, risk management and corporate resiliency, business roundtables, strategic planning, mental health support, and pop-up shops throughout the City of Reading’s Downtown Improvement District.

The new approvals raise the total amount of tax credits provided under the Wolf Administration to nearly $174 million in NAP funding supporting 1,128 projects statewide. The investment will result in more than $225 million in additional funds leveraged through corporate contributions.

Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary (DCED) Dennis Davin joined staff at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank today to announce their NAP project and highlight how critical Charitable Food Program (CFP) funding is to help support the work of food banks across Pennsylvania.

“NAP funding can support improved community health, property renovations, address food security and blight, and so much more in neighborhoods throughout the commonwealth,” said Sec. Davin. “This program is incredibly valuable in encouraging public-private partnerships that lead to community improvements and a better quality of life for Pennsylvanians.”

The program has five main components: The Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP), Special Program Priorities (SPP), the Neighborhood Partnership Program (NPP), CFP, and the Enterprise Zone Program (EZP). A description of each of these components is available within the NAP fact sheet.

For more information about the Wolf Administration’s commitment to community development, visit the DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

MEDIA CONTACT: Elizabeth Rementer, Governor’s Office, RA-GVGOVPRESS@pa.gov Penny Ickes, DCED, DCEDPRESS@pa.gov

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