Burns: Federal emergency grants available, urges communities to apply
Emergency funding to help with coronavirus response
Rep. Frank Burns May 22, 2020 | 3:21 PM
EBENSBURG, May 22 – As emergency federal aid begins to make its way to Pennsylvania, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, is urging local communities to review and apply to available programs if they qualify.
“I want to make sure our local communities are aware – and applying for – aid opportunities that are becoming available as part of the federal coronavirus response,” Burns said. “Already my office has helped secure aid for local food pantries, schools and communities. Every dollar will be critical as we emerge from this crisis.”
Two emergency federal programs currently available are:
Community Development Block Grant – Cares: Available to Act 179 entitlement municipalities to be used for housing rehabilitation, public services, community facilities, infrastructure improvement, development and planning that prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus. More information: https://dced.pa.gov/programs/community-development-block-grant-cares-cdbg-cv/.
PCCD Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Relief – Available to counties to offset law enforcement costs specific to the coronavirus. Details: https://www.pccd.pa.gov/criminaljustice/Documents/Coronavirus%20Emergency%20Supplemental%20Relief%20Funding%20Announcement.pdf.
Other community grant programs currently available include the Pennsylvania Department of Health/University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health: PA WalkWorks program, available to municipalities and planning organizations. Awards will range between $10,000 to $20,000 for the development of active transportation plans and between $3,000 and $5,000 to assist with the development of Complete Streets and/or Vision Zero policies. More information is available at: https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/programs/WalkWorks/Pages/WalkWorks.aspx.
Burns also urged any community or local government with questions about the programs to contact his office and make use of his in-house grant writer, who has been instrumental in securing grants through other programs.
Earlier this week Burns announced two federally funded emergency food pantry grants. He has also urged local school districts to apply for federal emergency funding and distance learning grants, and has championed a bill that would provide emergency funding for local volunteer fire companies.