Pennsylvania DCED Reminds Eligible Applicants to Apply for the Neighborhood Assistance Program

HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin today reminded eligible applicants to apply for the department's Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP). NAP provides tax credits to encourage community organizations to invest in projects that serve distressed areas or support conservation efforts. The program's application deadline is set for September 16, 2016.  

"We continually see strong participation in the Neighborhood Assistance Program, and that's exciting to us because it means that organizations in our community are taking a proactive approach to offering important resources, combating adverse impacts on health, safety and welfare, and ensuring that blighted areas get back on the right track to good fiscal well-being," Sec. Davin said. "We anticipate a robust response to the program again this year and look forward to the positive impacts it will create across the commonwealth."

The 2016-17 budget maintains $18 million in NAP funding within the tax code. The
Neighborhood Assistance Program includes five main components:

• Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) includes projects serving distressed areas or that support neighborhood conservation, which fall under one of the following categories: affordable housing programs, community services, crime prevention, education, job training, or neighborhood assistance.
• Special Program Priorities (SPP) targets specific problems and projects which the state has designated as priorities in a distressed area.
• Neighborhood Partnership Program (NPP) is comprised of long-term collaborations (five years or more) of business, government, and community leaders to produce a comprehensive, asset-based and relationship-driven approach to community development.
• Charitable Food Program (CFP) is designed to help regional food banks and emergency food providers. CFP funding is supplied through tax credits given to businesses making contributions to an approved provider.
• Enterprise Zone Program (EZP) is an incentive program that provides tax credits to companies investing in the rehabilitation, expansion, or improvement of buildings or land located within designated enterprise zones.

View the guidelines for each of the NAP components.

Recently, changes were made to the tax code to include domestic violence and affordable housing for veterans as NAP initiatives, terms that were previously covered under the neighborhood services, special populations, and diversity initiatives.

"Traditionally, broad definitions are maintained in the NAP language so that projects of all types can be considered for participation," explained Sec. Davin. "While we have always supported domestic violence and veterans housing initiatives, expressly stating them in the tax code bill highlights their importance to the commonwealth."

The DCED will accept NAP applications through September 16, 2016. All applications are reviewed on a yearly basis. Prior funding under this program does not guarantee an automatic approval of any application or project.

For more information about NAP, visit dced.pa.gov/nap or call 1-866-466-3972. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Lyndsay Kensinger, 717-783-1132

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development

Related Links

http://www.state.pa.us