Carteret, NJ – On Thursday June 17, Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman and the Carteret Borough Council will award a total of $50,445 for capital improvements to local non-profit facilities. Presentations will be made at a Council Meeting beginning at 6:00.
Funding has been allocated through the Community Development Block Grant (C.D.B.G.) program, and allowed non-profit and faith-based organizations to apply competitively for mini-grants through the Borough’s Community Development office.
Applications were reviewed by the Office of Community Development in May, according to Mayor Reiman. Local organizations submitted proposals for capital improvements with a usable lifespan of 15 years or more. Non-profits were allowed to apply for up to $5,000 as a 50% match towards the total cost of their project.
Mayor Reiman announced the new program at a workshop held for local non-profit and faith-based organizations in March, stating that grants will enable applicants to improve the ways in which they provide their services to the community.
“Our local faith-based and non-profit organizations provide valuable services to our community,” Mayor Reiman said. “This grant opportunity will allow them to initiate long-needed improvements that will have a direct effect on the quality of services they offer, by making a lasting investment in their facilities.”
The Community Development Block Grant program flexibly provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. Beginning in 1974, the CDBG program has been one of the longest continuously run programs at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (H.U.D.). The C.D.B.G. program provides annual grants on a formula basis to 1209 general units of local government and States.
Since the beginning of Mayor Reiman’s administration, approximately $900,000 in C.D.B.G. funding has been applied towards community improvements in Carteret.
“Many of these organizations have experienced growth disproportionate to their facilities,” Finance Chair Jorge Diaz added. “Particularly in these trying economic times, funding for capital improvements may have fallen short of the mark. We’re committed to providing funding opportunities for non-profit organizations and agencies that provide services directly to our residents.”
