June 21, 2023 Soon-to-End Grant Opportunity Helps Eligible Families Pay for Critical Home Repairs Action Housing Inc. is providing funds for low-income homeowners in Allegheny County to make whole-home repairs to severely damaged households through the federal Whole-Home Repairs Program. Homeowners could receive up to $50,000 in funds to fix critical issues that pose safety issues to residents, like damage to the roof, windows, or foundation of a home. Money is also available to make modifications for someone managing a disability. However, funds are limited* and based on need. Action Housing can likely only award 150-250 applicants grants. Still, families awarded grants will not need to repay the funds. The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. on Friday, June 30. No applications will be accepted after this time. *Disclaimer: Due to limited funding, Action Housing Inc. must prioritize homes with the worst damage. However, the application process will re-open for another 30-day period in mid to late fall. The exact time of this second application period will be announced at a later time. About the Whole-Home Repairs Program Who can apply? Who is eligible for a whole-home grant? To qualify, an applicant must: own and live in a house needing repairs in Allegheny County. be living in a home with significant habitability issues like roof damage, unsafe electric wiring, or accessibility concerns. have a total income that doesn’t exceed 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for Allegheny County. Please refer to the AMI chart to find AMI data. How does the application process work? Apply online on the Allegheny County Whole-Home Repair Program website. If you are eligible and selected for a home inspection, someone from the Whole-Home Repairs Program will contact you to schedule it. A Whole-Home Repairs inspector will visit your home to determine if the repairs qualify for funding. If the inspector approves the repairs, Action Housing will connect you with a contractor certified by the Whole-Home Repairs Program to do the work. How will applicants be notified? If you apply online, you’ll get an email about your eligibility for the program. People submitting paper applications will be notified via U.S. mail. How long does this process take? Action Housing Inc. will work as quickly as possible to schedule inspections and start construction. Still, they can’t commit to a timeline. Many collaborate to finish this work, so estimating schedules and weather dependencies is challenging. The whole process could take anywhere from a few months to a year. Additional Information & Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Will I have to pay for anything? You have no cost if your application is eligible and repairs are approved. I do not have a Social Security number. Can I still apply? Absolutely! A Social Security number is requested in the application but is optional. Is citizenship required for this program? No, citizenship status is not a factor. I know someone who wants to apply, but English isn’t their native language. Call ACTION-Housing at 412-248-0021, and Action Housing Inc. will get a translator to meet with you in person or complete an application over the phone. I, or someone I know, have a physical or mental impairment that makes applying challenging. Call ACTION-Housing at 412-248-0021 to talk about accommodating your needs. I already applied for Whole-Home Repairs funding during the pilot phase of this program. When will someone contact me? Action Housing Inc. received your application, but it’s taking some time to work through the volume of applications they received. Someone will contact you if they need more information to decide or to schedule a home inspection. How is Action Housing Inc. determining who gets selected? One of the requirements outlined in the passed state bill to fund Whole-Home Repairs is that Action Housing prioritize funding for certain groups of people. They are using data to help determine how to do this best. Because funding is limited, Action Housing is prioritizing neighborhoods not invested in historically. To find a full list of FAQs, visit the Action Housing Inc. website. Apply If you meet the eligibility requirements and need financial assistance for whole-home repairs, please apply now on the Allegheny County Whole-Home Repair Program website. Additional Resources Unfortunately, Action Housing Inc. cannot award grants to all eligible applicants. If you are in need of financial assistance for home repairs and are not eligible for or awarded a grant, please consult these resources: Housing Authority City of Pittsburgh Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP) U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development – Home Repairs in Pennsylvania U.S. Department of Agriculture – Single Family Housing Repair Loans & Grants in Pennsylvania Allegheny Lead Safe Homes Hosanna Industries Learn More The Whole-Home Repair Program is a federal program and available in counties across the Commonwealth. If you do not live in Allegheny County but are in need of financial assistance for home repairs, you can apply through an agency within your county. Find a list of agencies supporting the Whole-Home Repair Program on the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development website. To learn more, please consult the Whole-Home Repair Program Manual or visit the Action Housing Inc. website.
April 12, 2023 Applications Open for PA Farm-to-School Grant Program The application period for the Pennsylvania Farm-to-School Grant Program is now open. Through the program, any school, program, or center with a pre-kindergarten through 8th-grade classroom can apply for up to $15,000 in funding for healthy foods. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 19. About the Farm-to-School Grant Program The Pennsylvania Farm to School Grant Program aims to bridge the gap between children and the food system by connecting them to the fresh, healthy food available from Pennsylvania agricultural producers in their community and the surrounding areas. Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (DOA), it can change food purchasing and education practices at schools and early childhood education sites, and help children become more aware and engaged with their local food system. Farm-to-School Grant Program Details Eligibility All public school districts, charter schools, or private schools with pre-kindergarten classes, kindergarten classes, or elementary school classes through the eighth grade, and all center-based pre-schools located and operating within Pennsylvania may apply. However, school districts wishing to submit multiple applications must have individual schools apply. This means that the applicant information must reflect the individual building, not the district or an individual person. Grant Limitations $500,000 is available for the Pennsylvania Farm-to-School Grant Program. Grants will be awarded on a funds-available basis. Projects must be completed no later than June 30, 2025. Grants will be funded as reimbursement grants. A single grant shall be limited to 75% of the cost of the project. Grant recipients must fund at least 25% of the project with a minimum 25% match cash or in-kind. Each school may receive no more than $15,000 annually. Recipients may use the value of in-kind support to match the amount granted. Grant Uses Grants can be used for: training for teachers and staff procuring local foods for school cafeterias food supplies educational opportunities: classroom curricula experiential learning family and community involvement field trips to local farms or other agricultural operations school gardens for the purpose of education or to supply the cafeteria Apply for a Farm-to-School Program Grant Interested applicants must submit an application through the Single Application for Assistance online application between system before 5 p.m. on May 19. The DOA will not consider or review applications received after that time. Applications Requirements Interested applicants must: read the Application Instructions thoroughly, and follow them meticulously complete the Application Template prior to accessing the Single Application for Assistance complete the budget on the Budget Template upload both the completed Application Template and Budget Template as addenda in the Single Application for Assistance Learn More To learn more, visit the Farm-to-School Program Grant webpage, the Pennsylvania Bulletin website, or contact Patrick Andrews at RA-AGFARMTOSCHOOL@pa.gov or 717-772-1429.
February 24, 2023 Request for Applications: PA Early Head Start Child Care Partnerships The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is requesting applications for Early Head Start Child Care Partnerships (EHSCCP). Partnerships are made possible by an EHSCCP grant, and forty partnership opportunities are available. Applications are due by March 20. About EHSCCP and the EHSCCP Grant Pennsylvania’s EHSCCP grant enables partnerships between high-quality child care providers and OCDEL, which provide funded child care to infants and toddlers. All providers who meet eligibility standards are encouraged to complete an application for consideration. Eligibility To apply for an EHSCCP opportunity, child care providers must: have and maintain a STAR 3 or 4 rating provide full day (10 hours or more) and full year care to infants and toddlers (ages 6 weeks – 3 years) of income-eligible, working or student families or caregivers adhere to all Head Start Program Performance Standards and OCDEL Early Head Start (EHS) policies including: meeting a staff to child ratio of 1:4 maintaining a maximum group size of eight children providing two qualified, in-room staff members at all times assigning children to primary care groups retain or hire qualified staff to work in EHS classrooms EHS classroom staff must have an Infant Toddler CDA and/or a degree in Early Childhood Education. facilitate ongoing staff coaching with an OCDEL EHS coach maintain full enrollment and fill vacant slots within 30 days participate in Child Care Works (CCW) continue to provide care to children who lose their CCW until they transition from the program never unenroll children due to loss of subsidy utilize GoEngage data system (previously known as MyHeadStart) work collaboratively with the comprehensive service provider holding their contract, if applicable waive any fees typically charged to enrolled families, except for subsidy co-pays How to Apply To apply, complete the application below: EHSCCP Application Applicants must submit their applications via email. Send completed applications to ehsteam@pakeys.org by Monday, March 20. Learn More The OCDEL EHS Team will host a Q&A via Zoom to address questions about the requirements of the grants and the application process, and to provide general information about EHSCCP on Thursday, March 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pre-registration is not required. To learn more, visit the Pennsylvania Key website.
February 8, 2023 URA Offering Funds for Low-Income and First-Time Homebuyers Low-income and first-time homebuyers looking to purchase a home in the City of Pittsburgh may now qualify for a grant from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)’s OwnPGH grant program. The URA and First Commonwealth Bank will host an OwnPGH information session on Wednesday, February 22 at 10 a.m. in the lower level conference room of the URA office (located at 412 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15219). Attendees will have the chance to hear more about the homeownership program and talk one-on-one with URA and First Commonwealth Bank representatives. For more information on the session, visit the OwnPGH Information Session event page. This article was updated on February 15, 2023 to include information on the OwnPGH information session. About the OwnPGH Program The OwnPGH program seeks to promote affordable homeownership opportunities within the City of Pittsburgh. It provides grants and second mortgage financing for homebuyers at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). Participants in OwnPGH may receive up to $90,000 in grants and forgivable loans from the URA and the city’s housing authority, with $50,000 available in grants and $40,000 available in loans. Additionally, eligible borrowers may qualify for the Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance Program (DPCCAP), which provides them an additional $7,500 in forgivable loans. Who can apply? Individuals who pre-qualify for a home loan through one of URA’s three bank partners. Individuals who do not exceed 80% of AMI. Individuals who would like to own a property within the City of Pittsburgh. Properties outside of City of Pittsburgh do not qualify for OwnPGH assistance. Learn More View OwnPGH income limits, find contact information for participating bank partners, and learn how to apply by visiting the Urban Development Authority website.
October 12, 2020 Grants Available for Child Care Programs In partnership with the Pennsylvania Key, the GIANT Company is offering a grant opportunity for early childhood education providers licensed by and in good standing with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS). About Through this grant opportunity, early learning programs can apply for grants ranging from $2,000 to $10,000. This funding is intended to assist programs with meeting the unique needs of families and children served during the pandemic. These needs may include, but are not limited to, increased staffing, expanded operating hours, care of school-age children, Personal Protective Equipment or other sanitation measures, increased technology needs or services, school-age virtual learning labs, serving of meals, or addressing food insecurity needs of families and children served. Eligibility Criteria Applicants must operate a family child care home, group child care home, or child care center that is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services; the program must be in good standing with DHS. Applicants must serve families that receive child care subsidy/Child Care Works funding or demonstrate other means of serving families in need. Applicants must remain operational through part of all of the COVID-19 pandemic and provide services to children in any age range (birth through school-age). The early childhood education facility must be located in one of the following counties: Adams, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clearfield, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Indiana, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Snyder, Union, York. Submit An Application To apply for a grant, visit the Pennsylvania Key website. All applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, November 13, 2020. Funds will be dispersed by January 29, 2021.
September 4, 2020 Early Childhood League Launch & Expansion of Recess Advocacy Team On September 1, 2020, Trying Together and the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative were awarded grants through The Grable Foundation and Remake Learning’s Tomorrow campaign. Through this funding, both entities will work to address early childhood needs in Pennsylvania. About Trying Together is a leading advocate for high-quality early care and education in Pennsylvania and a co-founder of the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative and Recess Advocacy Team. With funds from the Tomorrow grant, Trying Together will launch an Early Childhood League and the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative will expand the Recess Advocacy Team to engage additional youth, families, organizations, and communities as advocates to address early learning constraints in the region. “Through the Tomorrow grants, we will be able to work with community members that we may not have previously to learn about their early learning priorities for children so we may support them in mobilizing to take action,” said Cara Ciminillo, Executive Director at Trying Together. Trying Together Tomorrow Campaign Project: Early Childhood League The Early Childhood League will partner with Trying Together, its advocacy partners, and each other to transform early childhood education conditions in the region. Members of the League will include selected parents and other caregivers of young children; community organizations; and a large institution that is to be determined. The League will achieve improvements in local early learning environments by receiving training, similar to the Early Childhood Advocacy Fellowship, from Trying Together and other experts. Training topics will include: communications techniques; community organizing strategies; early childhood education principles; and public policy processes. With ongoing programmatic support from Trying Together and the Tomorrow grant, the League will acquire the agency to develop and implement an advocacy plan that further advances the efforts of existing statewide early childhood policy campaigns such as Start Strong PA (child care), Pre-K for PA (pre-k), and Childhood Begins at Home (home visiting). More information and application details will be available soon. Please continue to monitor the Trying Together website, Facebook, and Twitter page for future updates. Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative Tomorrow Campaign Project: Recess Advocacy Team The Recess Advocacy Team’s mission is to educate and advocate for the importance of recess; engage with children, families, and educators on recess experiences; establish a resource for recess-related advocacy, policy, and best practices; and engage stakeholders in recess advocacy efforts. By partnering with a regional school district, the Recess Advocacy Team will utilize this funding to support efforts to conduct a needs assessment survey and develop a toolkit for children, parents, and educators who want to serve as recess champions. As a part of the toolkit, funding will also support professional development and training related to advocacy and topics such as: creatively using school space for physical activity; indoor recess ideas; and volunteer recess supervision. While this partnership will focus on one district, the Team’s outcomes and products will be scalable and designed to be replicated with other school districts to best meet their needs. Additional details will be available soon. For information on how to join and more, visit the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative website. About the Tomorrow Campaign A $1.4 million dollar investment in organizations throughout the region, the Tomorrow campaign is an effort to #RemakeTomorrow, one where every learner is prepared to “create the future of learning” when everyone combines timeless ideas and new ways to learn. Last spring, the Tomorrow campaign asked 17 nonprofit organizations to boldly imagine what smart risks they might take if they had research and development (R&D) funding – not for covering current activities, but for pursuing experimental ideas, testing new concepts, and finding powerful ways to move their field toward the future of learning. “Each of these projects represents the imagination and resourcefulness not only of the 17 grantees, but also of the many partner organizations who will join them in their efforts,” says Kristen Burns, Associate Director of The Grable Foundation. “We hope these grants will provide a spark that will help move the entire field of learning forward in our region.” More Information For more information, read the full press release.
July 17, 2020 Child Care Providers Eligible for PA Hazard Pay Grants On July 16, Governor Tom Wolf announced that $50 million in grant funding is available to help employers provide hazard pay to employees in life-sustaining occupations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hazard pay is intended to keep front-line employees working in vital industry sectors across Pennsylvania. About the Grant Created through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, this reimbursement-based grant is available to employers offering hazard pay during the eligible program period and will be administered by the state Department of Community and Economic Development. Within the guidelines, child care is identified as an eligible industry (Health and Social Assistance). Hazard pay is defined as additional pay for performing hazardous duty or work involving physical hardship, in each case that is related to COVID-19. Employers can apply for up to $3 million in funding. Grant funds can be used for hazard pay for direct, full-time, and part-time employees earning less than $20 per hour, excluding fringe benefits and overtime. Funds can only be used to pay hazard pay for eligible employees for the 10-week period from August 16 through October 24, 2020. Submit an Application Applicants can apply for up to $1,200 per eligible full-time equivalent employee. The hazard pay must be paid to the eligible employee over the 10-week period of August 16 through October 24, 2020 as a $3 per hour hazard pay increase to their regular pay rate. Employers can apply for a grant to provide hazard pay for up to 500 eligible full-time equivalent employees per location ($600,000 maximum grant per location). Applications will be received from July 16 through July 31, 2020. To apply for funding, submit an application through the Electronic Single Application. More Information For more information or questions, contact 717.787.6245 or ra-dcedcbf@pa.gov.
July 1, 2020 Grants Available for Small Businesses in Pennsylvania The COVID-19 Relief Pennsylvania Statewide Small Business Assistance program will provide grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 to small businesses that have been economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligibility To be eligible for this program, a business must: be physically located, certified to do business, and generate at least 51 percent of their revenues in Pennsylvania; have annual revenue of $1 million or less prior to the impact of COVID-19; have 25 or fewer full-time equivalent employees prior to February 15, 2020; and have been in operation as of February 15, 2020. Eligible businesses may be structured as C-corporations, S-corporations, limited liability corporations, sole proprietors, independent contractors, or self-employed individuals. Visit the Bridgeway Capital website to view what makes an entity ineligible to apply. Application Period The first application window for the COVID-19 Relief Pennsylvania Statewide Small Business Assistance program is now open until 11:59 p.m. on July 14, 2020. This is not a first-come, first-served program. There will be multiple rounds of application windows. The application window will remain open for 10 business days. Additional application windows will be announced soon. Eligible small businesses can begin applying online. Bridgeway Capital is a participating CDFI and will support small businesses in western Pennsylvania to access the grant funds. An application toolkit, including information about eligibility, priorities, and required documents, can be found on their website. More Information For more information, visit the Bridgeway Capital website. For questions and technical support, contact pacdfinetwork@lendistry.com or 866-897-9336.
June 19, 2020 Public Discussion: Services for Families in Allegheny County What does your community need? How can the Allegheny County Department of Human Services help meet those needs? You are invited to share your ideas and suggestions at a virtual Human Services Block Grant Public Meeting. All input will inform the 2020-21 Human Services Block Grant Plan. Available Sessions Monday, June 29, 2020 | 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, 2020 | 4:30 p.m. Join a Session There are three ways to participate in a virtual meeting: To hear the live audio, see the live video, and participate in the Q&A, join on your computer, smartphone, or tablet. You may be instructed to download an app called Microsoft Teams. If prompted to sign in, you may choose whether to do so or join anonymously. To hear the live audio only, call 267.368.7515. The access code for Monday’s meeting is 172 596 105# and the access code for Tuesday’s meeting is 746 312 327#. To watch the recordings at your convenience, visit the Allegheny County website. The recordings will be posted within 24 to 48 hours after the meetings. More Information Allegheny County DHS makes reasonable efforts to accommodate people with disabilities or limited-English-proficiency. Closed captioning in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic will be available when joining the meeting on a PC or Mac. For questions, comments, or ideas, contact DHS-Ideas@AlleghenyCounty.US.
January 29, 2020 Census Mini-Grants Now Available The Pittsburgh Foundation, Allegheny County-City of Pittsburgh Complete Count Committee, and Census 2020 Philanthropic Fund recently partnered together to create a mini-grants program to support census-related activities. Community-based organizations in Allegheny County are eligible to apply for a grant of up to $2,500 to advance the work of the 2020 Census with populations identified to be at risk of an undercount. Eligibility Eligible applicants must be either: an incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating in the City of Pittsburgh and/or Allegheny County; a school or educational institution operating in the City of Pittsburgh and/or Allegheny County; or a municipality in Allegheny County. Community-based organizations that are not schools, municipalities, or incorporated 501(c)(3)s must obtain a fiscal sponsor that is an eligible 501(c)(3) in Allegheny County to apply. For questions on how to obtain a fiscal sponsor, contact Emmie Calland at callande@pghfdn.org. Priorities Proposal submissions should focus on outreach activities to increase participation in the 2020 census and must benefit historically undercounted and hard-to-reach communities in Allegheny County. These populations include: seniors, people of color, foreign-born residents, children ages birth to five, low-income residents, persons experiencing homelessness, persons with disabilities, and persons who do not live in traditional housing. Use of Grant Funds Proposed activities should take place between now and July 31, 2020. Grant activities should focus on increasing census participation among the hard-to-count groups above. Activities could include: alleviating language barriers in promoting census awareness and completion, hosting events that encourage people to answer the census, creating unique materials to encourage census participation for the populations you serve, and purchasing technology to allow people to fill out the census on the spot. How to Apply To apply for a mini-grant, complete the online application. All applications must be submitted no later than February 1, 2020. For technical questions related to the application, contact Jennifer Steinmetz at steinmetzj@pghfdn.org. More Information To learn more about the 2020 Census, visit the Allegheny County-City of Pittsburgh Complete Count Committee website. For questions about the program or content of the grant application, contact Emmie Calland at callande@pghfdn.org. *Information provided by The Pittsburgh Foundation
