Newark Nonprofits Get Federal Funds

During a ceremony Tuesday at the Hall of Records in Newark, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo announced the awarding of $4.4 million in grants to municipal governments and nonprofit agencies throughout Essex County.

Among the recipients of the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) are nonprofits in Newark and Belleville as well as funds for road repair in Nutley and Belleville. The largest single award, $410,000, went to the city of Orange.

The city of Newark applies for CDBGs under a separate program.

The grants, paid for with federal Housing and Urban Development Funds but administered at the county level, are received annually by local governments and nongovernment agencies for a variety of purposes. The lion’s share of funding often goes towards street repairs.

The recipients include $323,000 for the reconstruction of Academy Street in Belleville, as well as $151,000 for repairs to Maple Place and $19,000 for repairs to Prospect Street, both in Nutley.

Nonprofits getting funds include the Greater Newark Conservancy, $25,000 to make handicapped-accessible improvements; Northeast Essex Community Healthcare of Belleville and Montclair, $65,000 for building renovations; $51,000 for the North Ward Center’s Casa Israel in Newark; and $15,000 for support services at the 1st Cerebral Palsy Center of Belleville.