Montclair Receives Grants to Fund Local Projects

[This article has since been corrected. The original post incorrectly stated the amount of funds received by Montclair from the county's Community Development Block Grants.]

Nine organizations in Montclair will receive more than $300,000 to fund projects in the coming year. 

Montclair is among 16 Essex County municipalities to receive money through the county's Community Development Block Grants. County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. announced the recipients on Tuesday in a press release. 

The following Montclair organizations will receive $321,727 in 2012-13:

• Montclair Neighborhood Development Center: $30,000 for OASIS youth program
• HomeCorp: $20,000 for a financial literacy program
• Interfaith Hospitality network: $18,000 for transitional housing services
• BlueWave Community Center: $18,000 for after school tutoring program
• United Way of North Essex: $20,000 for a Family Success Center
• COPE Center Inc.: $18,000 for counseling services
• Township of Montclair: $18,000 for handicap pool lifts, and $179,727 for streetscape improvements to Glenridge Avenue.  

The township also received $92,650 for the following nonprofit projects. 

• Mental Health Association: $19,750 for vehicle replacement
• Northwest Essex Community Healthercare in Belleville and Montclair: $65,000 for building renovations and West Essex Rehabilitation Center
• Planned Parenthood: $7,900 for HIV protection, testing and counseling

A total of $4.4 million was distributed Tuesday through the CDBG program, which is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered by the Essex County Division of Housing and Community Development.

“Programs supported through the CDBG programs are direct investments to provide services that enhance our quality of life and help stabilize our neighborhoods by modernizing our infrastructure,” DiVincenzo said in the release.

“These federal grants enable us to upgrade our sidewalks and roads, enhance handicap access, address mental health needs, support food pantries and stimulate economic development in our downtown commercial areas,” he added.

2012-13 Grant Application

Montclair also applied to the county for CDBG funding for 2013-14. The township is applying for $515,950 for the following projects. 

Priority

Organization

Project Summary

Grant Request

1

Montclair Township

Glenridge Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project - Phs. 2

 $180,000

2

Counseling Outreach Prevention Education (COPE)

Specialized Services for Children and Families

 $49,000

3

Montclair Neighborhood Development Center (MNDC)

Project Oasis

 $50,000

4

HOMECorp

Housing, Opportunity, Preparation and Education program

 $30,000

5

Neighborhood Child Care Center (NCCC)

Professional staffing for special needs children

 $60,000

6

BlueWaveNJ Public Interest Foundation (BWPIF)

After school tutoring and summer enrichment

 $46,950

7

Interfaith Hospitality Network

Case management services

 $30,300

8

United Way

Job Resource and Skill Building Center

 $50,000

9

Family Service League

Counseling for low-income families and rape victims

$20,000