Press Releases

Media, PA – Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) today joined local officials to highlight $475,000 in federal funding she recently secured to support a new micro-grant program in Delaware County. The Delaware County Community Partnering Program is specifically designed to provide outreach to historically underserved communities. It is one of 10 Community Project Funding awards Scanlon delivered for her district through the Fiscal Year 2022 federal government funding package passed by Congress in March.

“The $475,000 in federal funding we secured for the Community Partnering Program will empower neighborhoods and people that have been impacted by disinvestment for far too long,” said Rep. Scanlon. “I am thrilled about all of the projects we were able to support as part of the Community Project Funding process, and the unique thing about Delaware County’s new Community Partnering Program is that it puts these taxpayer dollars back into the hands of our neighbors. It will give Delaware County residents and organizations the chance to make decisions about projects that directly impact their communities and then provide them with the funding to execute their ideas.”

“We are excited to offer these grants to residents and we hope neighborhood and community groups will take advantage of the grants and utilize them for projects in their communities,” said Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor. “These types of projects allow residents to work together to enhance the places where they live, work, play, and raise families. We are investing in neighborhood groups and organizations that are working together to invest their time and talent to better their communities.”

The Delaware County Community Partnering Program will empower neighborhoods and build community through the deployment of micro-grants. The average grant is expected to be around $25,000 — allowing the initiative to have a broad impact. Community groups, neighborhood groups, and organizations are eligible to receive a grant to help fund projects that are organized and sustained by neighborhood residents and community groups. Eligible projects can include (but are not limited to) community gardens, pocket parks, bicycle facilities, pedestrian enhancements, elder transport coordination, snow removal for physically restricted persons, or education initiatives such as energy awareness programs. The micro-grants can also be used to meet local cost-share requirements for other private and public grant opportunities.

The Community Partnering Program is specifically designed to provide outreach to historically underserved neighborhoods that have borne the burden of disinvestment for many decades. The program reduces barriers to accessing resources for community-based improvements and places a high value on participation from residents.

Applications for the Community Partnering Program are now being accepted. Additional information on how to apply is available at  delcopa.gov/cpp. 

The Fiscal Year 2022 spending bill provides $1.5 trillion in discretionary resources, including nearly $8.5 million in Community Project Funding secured by Scanlon for organizations in PA-05. Additional information on the Community Project Funding awards in Scanlon’s district is available here.

Photos from the press conference are available here for media use.

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