February Monthly Grants Newsletter

Dear Friend,

Over the last month, I’ve heard from hundreds of constituents that the uncertainty around the federal funding freeze and remaining funding pauses continue to cause major stress and confusion. Please know that I took an oath to represent you and fight for you, and that is exactly what I plan to do here.  
 
Let’s get the facts straight: the President’s actions towards a federal funding freeze and the continued pauses are illegal. The Constitution gives Congress—not the President—the power of the purse. Under the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974, before terminating any funding appropriated by Congress, the President must request a rescission to Congress. If Congress then votes in favor of doing this, the funding can be terminated. If Congress votes against it or does not act on the request for more than 45 days, the funding must continue as appropriated. No messages or requests were put before Congress to be voted on, so President Trump freezing and blocking the lawfully appropriated funds is illegal, and the courts have been working through cases on these issues. 
 
If you are the recipient of a federal grant and have been notified that this funding is no longer available to you or are experiencing other issues accessing your lawfully appropriated funds, please share your concerns with me and my team at PA17Grants@mail.house.gov. 

Share your Story 

If you are impacted by the federal funding freeze or other actions taken by this Administration, please use the form below to share your concerns, questions, and personal grant stories with me. My office is happy to reach out to specific federal departments and agencies, as well as the appropriate congressional committee, to ask for answers and best course of action. We can also work with our state partners to look into other funding opportunities available to you.  

Please take a moment to share your story with me. 

Grant Updates and Tips 

As a result of Governor Josh Shapiro’s lawsuit – and direct pressure on and engagement with the Trump Administration – federal funding is once again accessible to Pennsylvania state agencies. See more information on the specific funding opportunities affected here. 

I highly recommend that you follow relevant agency newsletters and the grants.gov webpage for your work and grants of interest to see what grants are canceled, paused, or may have changed eligibility criteria.

If you are receiving funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I recommend you check out this fact sheet on Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds from the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.

Upcoming Grant Deadlines

State and Non-Federal Funding 

The 2025 AARP Community Challenge is accepting applications in three grant categories. Local governments and nonprofits with ready-to-go projects are eligible to apply. Applications are due by March 5, 2025. 

The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is accepting applications for their Community Conservation Partnerships Program Grants, assisting local governments and recreation and conservation organizations with funding for projects related to parks, recreation, and conservation. This application period is only open once a year from January to April. Apply by April 2, 2025. 

The Council on Library and Information Resources is accepting applications for their Recordings at Risk Program, a national regranting program that supports the preservation of rare and unique audio, audiovisual, and other time-based media of high scholarly value through digital reformatting. Apply by April 14, 2025.  

The Housing Authority of Beaver County offers a Weatherization Program, a free program for eligible residents that provides various home improvements and repairs due to weatherization in the region. If you would like more information, call 724-630-2029. 

Beaver County is offering a Downtown Revitalization Program, providing grant funds to downtown commercial building and/or business owners to renovate their storefronts. If you would like more information, call 724-770-2040. 

Federal Funding

The Department of Veteran Affairs has funding available through their Veteran Affairs Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program. The SSVF Program’s purpose is to provide supportive services grants to private non-profit organizations and consumer cooperatives who will coordinate or provide supportive services to very low-income Veteran families. Eligible applicants may apply by March 3, 2025. 

The Department of the Interior's WaterSMART Environmental Water Resources Project is accepting applications from interested states, tribes, irrigation and water districts, or non profit organizations who seek funding for water conservation and efficiency projects. The deadline is March 11, 2025.   

The National Endowment for the Arts has opened their Research Grants program. This program provides funding for nonprofits and local governments to carry out arts projects. Part 1 of the application is due by March 24, 2025. 

The Department of Health and Human Services has an open Rural Residency Planning and Development grant program for rural hospitals, rural community ambulatory patient care centers, and medical schools to develop rural residency programs for medical students. Applicants should apply by April 10, 2025.