American Rescue Plan Act, City News, Community Development, Nonprofit, Press ReleasesScranton Awards Nearly $1 Million in ARPA Nonprofit Grants

American Rescue Plan Act • City News • Community Development • Nonprofit • Press Releases

Scranton Awards Nearly $1 Million in ARPA Nonprofit Grants

October 13, 2022

Officials gathering at the City’s announcement of almost $1 million in ARPA funding include, from left, Scranton OECD Director Eileen Cipriani, Maternal and Family Health Services COO Shannon Hayward, Mayor Paige G. Cognetti, Outreach – Center for Community Resources Executive Director Lori Chaffers, and Scranton ARPA Project Manager Erica Yurkovic.

First American Rescue Plan Grants designed for fiscal recovery of nonprofit groups

  • Nearly 50 organizations receive support from the City of Scranton.
  • Organizations sought a total of $3.6 million in their applications.
  • ARPA funding has supported other projects across the City, but these are the first grant awards.

SCRANTON, PA. – The City of Scranton awarded a total of nearly $1 million in nonprofit recovery funds on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Nonprofits applied in July and August for the grants that are part of the City’s $68.7 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.

“Today is an exciting day for the City and the nonprofits who serve our residents,” Mayor Paige G. Cognetti announced at Outreach – Center for Community Resources, where two top grant recipients provide services. “These are the first grants being awarded through our American Rescue Plan Act funding, and I am proud to use this funding to aid our nonprofit community. The grants announced today will help them recover from the pandemic as they help the people of Scranton who rely on the various services they provide.”

Through a spending plan approved by City Council in May 2022, the City allocated $1 million in nonprofit recovery funding. Seventy-two nonprofits sought a total of $3.6 million in aid. After a rigid application and review process, 49 organizations ultimately received all or a portion of their requested assistance.

Applications were weighed based on the City’s ARPA mission, which aims to give people access to resources, rebuild infrastructure systems that impact everyday life, and foster equitable wealth generation targeting residents’ needs.

All applications were reviewed by the City, its grant partners from the Scranton Area Community Foundation (SACF), and compliance consultants from Anser Advisory to ensure that organizations were not receiving duplicate federal benefits, per the guidelines set by the United States Department of the Treasury. Applications were also reviewed for nonprofit status, the negative economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, location in the City, service to City residents, and more.

Grants will support a variety of needs including revenue losses caused by the pandemic, additional staffing, new or expanded programming, necessary technological updates, community engagement, and capital improvements such as HVAC system replacements that were accelerated by COVID-19.

“On behalf of Outreach, I cannot thank Mayor Paige Cognetti and the City of Scranton enough for the support she is providing to nonprofits,” said Outreach – Center for Community Resources Board of Directors President Jerry Musheno, R.Ph., Esq. “Her support will help Outreach recoup some of the revenue losses over the past 14 months when GED programming resumed at our Center in Scranton without adequate funding.  These GED services will advance the employment opportunities of many Scranton residents.”

“Maternal and Family Health Services is grateful to be a recipient of a grant from the City of Scranton ARPA Program. Funds will allow us to expand our nursing team to meet the additional demand for services for low-income families in Scranton,” added MFHS President and CEO Maria Montoro Edwards, Ph.D.

Grant recipients and the funding they will receive include:

  • $45,000 each for seven organizations
    • Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeastern Pennsylvania
    • Friends of the Poor
    • Maternal and Family Health Services
    • Meals on Wheels of NEPA
    • Northeast Regional Cancer Institute
    • Outreach – Center for Community Resources
    • Scranton Primary Health Care Center.
  • $25,000 each for 19 organizations
    • Catherine McAuley Center
    • Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton
    • Center for Health and Human Services Research and Action
    • Child Hunger Outreach Partners
    • Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA
    • Discovery MI Preschool
    • Greater Scranton YMCA
    • Griffin Pond Animal Shelter
    • Harrison House Personal Care Home
    • Here For A Reason
    • Jewish Community Center of Scranton
    • Keystone Mission
    • Linwood Nursing and Rehab
    • NativityMiguel School of Scranton
    • NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania
    • NEPA Pet Fund and Rescue
    • Scranton Counseling Center
    • The Wright Center for Community Health
    • Treatment Court Advocacy Center of Lackawanna County.
  • $10,000 each for 17 organizations
    • Boy Scouts of America Northeastern Pennsylvania Council
    • Breathe & Prosper Corporation
    • Clear Brook Foundation
    • Day Nursery Association
    • Goodwill Industries of Northeastern PA
    • Jewish Family Services of Northeastern Pennsylvania
    • Lackawanna River Conservation Association
    • Marywood University
    • Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple
    • Scranton Public Library
    • Scranton Tomorrow
    • Serving Seniors
    • Skills in Scranton Business Education Partnership
    • St. Cats and Dogs of Scranton
    • St. Matthews United Evangelical Lutheran Church
    • Telespond Senior Day Services
    • The Arc of Northeastern PA.
  • $5,000 each for 5 organizations
    • Center for the Living City
    • Electric City Steel Drum Project
    • Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science and Art
    • PAWSitively for the Animals
    • Ronald McDonald House of Scranton.
  • $4,047.28
    • TCS Midtown Apartments

The SACF received $10,000 in ARPA funds to administer the grant process.

The City continues to issue funding opportunities through ARPA. Applications opened in September for a pair of small business grants aimed at either façade improvements or small business development and expansion, and applications are under review for a trio of community wellness grants that officials first announced in August. Additional information about the City of Scranton’s ARPA plan can be found at scrantonpa.gov/arpa.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) OF 2021: ARPA is a $1.9 trillion federal economic stimulus bill. The City of Scranton has been awarded $68.7 million in ARPA funds to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency and its economic impacts. The mission of Scranton’s ARPA program is to give people access to resources, rebuild the infrastructure systems that impact their everyday lives, and foster equitable wealth generation that targets the needs of Scranton residents.

Officials gathering at the City’s announcement of almost $1 million in ARPA funding include, from left, Scranton ARPA Project Manager Erika Yurkovic, Scranton OECD Director Eileen Cipriani, Maternal and Family Health Services COO Shannon Hayward, Mayor Paige G. Cognetti, Outreach – Center for Community Resources Executive Director Lori Chaffers, Outreach Board President Jerry Musheno, Esq., Outreach Board Vice President Vicky Castagna, Scranton Area Community Foundation Vice President for Administration and Projects Maggie Martinelli, SACF Board Chair Barbara O’Hara, Esq., and SACF Grants Assistant Michael Villa.
Mayor Paige G. Cognetti, center, announced $45,000 in ARPA funding for both Maternal and Family Health Services and Outreach – Center for Community Resources, as part of $1 million in nonprofit recovery funding. Also pictured, left, MFHS COO Shannon Hayward, and right, Outreach – Center for Community Resources Executive Director Lori Chaffers.
Outreach Executive Director Lori Chaffers speaks on Oct. 12 about the organization’s $45,000 grant award from the City of Scranton. Outreach will use the funding to support a growing need for GED programs in Scranton.
Outreach Board President Jerry Musheno, Esq., speaks on Oct. 12 about the organization’s $45,000 grant award from the City of Scranton.
Maternal and Family Health Services COO Shannon Hayward speaks on Oct. 12 about the organization’s $45,000 grant award from the City of Scranton. MFHS will use the funding to expand its nursing team.

Last modified: August 2, 2023

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