NJ department to get 'leg up' in competing for federal grants

By Jason Laday 
South Jersey Times

CAMDEN, N.J. — The federal government has named Camden and seven other locations across the country to be part of a program that, among other things, gives those areas "priority" when it comes to federal grants from more than two dozen federal agencies.

Camden will now be a "Promise Zone," as named by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In addition to receiving a "leg up" in the grant application process with 14 federal agencies — including HUD, Agriculture, the Department of Labor, the Department of Transportation and others — officials said the city will also benefit from the presence of a "federal liaison" and five full-time staff members from AmeriCorps.

"While there is no immediate money coming as a result of this, the city will get tangible points in the grant application process for funds from HUD and many other federal agencies, and the five staff members from AmeriCorps are very important, because you can never have enough staff members to help," said Holly Leicht, HUD's regional administrator for New York and New Jersey, following Tuesday's announcement in front of Camden City Hall.

Full Story: Camden to get 'leg up' in competing for federal grants