Volume 19 | Issue 23 | October 20- 26, 2006
$45 million in community grants
The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation is accepting applications for up to $45 million in grants intended to help the Downtown community.
Non-profits looking to build facilities or run community programs south of Houston St. are eligible to apply for the L.M.D.C.’s community enhancement fund. Education, jobs, health care and recreation are the types of programs under consideration for the grants. The deadline is Nov. 10. Details and applications are available on the state-city corporation’s Web site, www.renewnyc.com.
The money is part of the last of the $2.783 billion of federal funds the L.M.D.C. received after the Sept. 11 attack. Gov. Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg, who control the corporation, announced the community enhancement fund in the spring of 2005, but there was little talk about the $45 million until this year when two L.M.D.C. board members said they didn’t think there would be any money in the promised fund.
L.M.D.C. officials said in September that the money was there and in addition to the $45 million, they thought they could find up to $32 million in money for its community and cultural group funds. Last week officials dampened their optimism by $6.5 million, predicting that about $25.5 million was the maximum amount they could find from cost savings in other projects.
Eight million dollars of the remaining cultural fund has been committed to the Drawing Center, a museum that wanted to move to the World Trade Center site until 9/11 family members raised objections. The center now hopes for space at the South Street Seaport.
Dep. Mayor Dan Doctoroff, a corporation board member, told Downtown Express in September that he hoped to announce the community grant winners within a few months. The L.M.D.C. is in the process of disbanding and many of its responsibilities will be shifted to the city.
Community Board 1 passed a resolution Tuesday requesting representation on an advisory panel to help evaluate the applications. C.B. 1 members think priorities for the fund should include neighborhood beautification, youth programs, adult services, cultural activities and help for small businesses.
