An artist’s rendering of redeveloped Bartram Village.

A $50 million grant will help revitalize Bartram Village neighborhood in Southwest Philadelphia. The grant was announced last week by U.S. Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman and U.S. Representative Mary Gay Scanlon.

The grant was awarded to the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) and will be used to rehabilitate and transform affordable housing at Bartram Village, a public housing site located next to historic Bartram’s Garden along the Schuylkill River, as well as make investments to “create a neighborhood that is vibrant, well-connected to services and public transportation, and is safe and welcoming for Philadelphians.”

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HopePHL, the local non-profit that provides social services, housing and community development, was recently awarded a $250,000 Housing for Everyone grant from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank.

HopePHL is one of 37 non-profit organizations selected from more than 450 applicants across several states to receive a Housing for Everyone grant as part of the initiative that has helped support organizations that are focused on providing affordable housing and affordable housing services since 2005.

The grant will support HopePHL’s homelessness prevention work, which assists people at risk of homelessness in Philadelphia to remain in their homes and avoid emergency shelter. Through case management and direct financial assistance grants, the agency’s program provides West Philadelphia families with support to overcome a housing crisis. Since its launch in July 2020, this program has successfully delivered these services to 355 families and has provided over $880,000 in emergency rental assistance grants.

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Two West Philadelphia-based recreation centers have recently been awarded grants from the state’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program for much-needed repairs and upgrades.

A $2.75 million grant will be provided to the City of Philadelphia to support the Christy Recreation Center, located at 55th and Christian Streets. The project will involve renovating the existing center building and grounds, including ADA access to and throughout the facility. The facility will also become better lit and greener, with more efficient use of interior and exterior spaces. Better and newer equipment will be installed for the benefit of all ages, as well as more places to sit, eat, play, and recreate.

The grant was announced by Rep. Rick Krajewski representing the 188th Legislative District. This investment is in addition to $1 million that has been secured by Philadelphia Councilmember Jamie Gauthier to go toward the complete redesign project that is currently underway. Continue Reading

Jaleel Shaw’s Band performed at the 11th Annual Lancaster Ave Jazz & Arts Festival in July 2017. (Photo by Kevin Smith)

Come July, the Lancaster Avenue Jazz and Arts Festival, a great summer tradition in the Powelton neighborhood, will return to Saunders Park. The National Endowment for the Arts has recently announced that it will support this year’s festival with a Challenge America grant of $10,000.

The NEA has approved more than $25 million in grants as part of its first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2018. The Challenge America category features NEA support for projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations – those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability, according to the announcement.  Continue Reading

The University City District (UCD), the University City Science Center and Drexel University have been awarded a $5 million grant from the Lenfest Foundation to expand programs that train and place unemployed West Philadelphia residents in jobs, including UCD’s nationally-acclaimed job training program, the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative.

The program will connect nearly 600 previously unemployed residents to careers over three years and will reportedly result in over $16 million in wages generated in the community. More than 200 adults and high school students in West Philadelphia will also attain credentials, certifications, and exposure to STEM careers, setting them on meaningful pathways to employment.

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There’s a great chance for the Philly Pumptrack located in West Fairmount Park to get a grant that will help with upgrades. Philadelphia Parks and Recreation is teaming up with Disney and the National Recreation and Parks Association to award $20,000 to a Philadelphia Parks and Recreation facility, and all you need to do is vote for your favorite. The Philly Pumptrack is one of three projects residents can vote for through April 30th.

Residents can vote for the projects online at NRPA.org/BeInspired. If selected, the pumptrack would use the award money to purchase new equipment and to make site improvements to make the site cleaner and safer.

The Philly Pumptrack, a dynamic earthen bike track, opened in the spring of 2014 at 5300 Parkside Avenue and is part of the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation department. The track is open from 12 – 7 p.m. seven days a week. For more information, visit: www.phillypumptrack.org.