What is the Neighborhood Economic Development Grant?
Neighborhood Economic Development (NED) Grants are federally-funded grants made to local organizations serving Pittsburgh residents with low and moderate incomes. Only Registered Community Organizations (RCOs) and community-based organizations working on economic development (CBOs) are eligible to apply for these funds, which will be used to benefit eligible census tracts around the City. Please note that CBO is a self-identified classification, and can refer to any nonprofit focused on revitalizing their neighborhood through economic development.
NED grants are funded with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money, awarded to the City of Pittsburgh from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. RCOs and CBOs are invited to apply, and applications are reviewed and recommended for funding by the NED Advisory Committee. This Committee is made up of representatives from City Planning, the Mayor's Office, the Urban Redevelopment Authority, and local development experts.
NED projects must further one of the following goals:
- Main Street Revitalization
- Affordable Housing Improvements
- Vacancy Rate Reduction
- Organizational Development to increase service provision in one of the other three areas
Organizations with less than an average of $75,000 in revenues and expenses over the last three fiscal years are invited to apply for the Capacity Building NED grant.
| General NED Awards | Capacity Building Awards |
| $10,000 - $40,000 | $50,000 per year |
| One-year term | Renewable for three additional years |
| No additional responsibilities | Offers progress meetings and technical assistance |
2024 NED Grant Awards
General NED Awards
| Organization | Award Amount |
| Fineview Citizens Council | $40,000 |
| Hill Community Development Corporation | $40,000 |
| Hilltop Alliance | $40,000 |
| Perry Hilltop Citizens Council | $40,000 |
| Rising Tide Partners | $40,000 |
| Amani Christian Community Development Corporation | $35,000 |
| Brightwood Civic Group | $35,000 |
| Hazelwood Initiative | $35,000 |
| Hill District Consensus Group | $35,000 |
| Lawrenceville United | $35,000 |
| Pittsburgh Hispanic Development Corporation | $35,000 |
| Rebuilding Together | $35,000 |
| Uptown Partners of Pittsburgh | $35,000 |
| Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation | $20,000 |
| Oakland Planning and Development Corporation | $20,000 |
Capacity Building Awards
| Organization | Year | Amount |
| Manchester Citizens Corporation | 4 | $50,000 |
| Carrick Community Council | 3 | $50,000 |
| Charles Street Area Corporation | 2 | $50,000 |
| Beltzhoover Consensus Group | 1 | $50,000 |
2024 NED Grant Application Information Session
Or watch the video on YouTube here. The slides are also available to download.
The Office of Management and Budget, Community Development division will also held two virtual Q&A sessions for potential applicants. A summary of questions and replies is available here.
If you have additional questions, please email community.development@pittsburghpa.gov
How do I apply?
If you represent an RCO or other community-based organization which meets all eligibility criteria, you may fill out the application at the bottom of this page. Only electronic submissions via this webpage will be accepted.
What organizations are eligible?
Organizations seeking NED funds must:
- Be an RCO, a community-based organization working on neighborhood economic development (CBO), or both
- Be a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with
- A Board of Directors
- Articles of Incorporation
- Written bylaws
- A mission that supports City of Pittsburgh residents
- Demonstrate financial management capacity
- Have filed an IRS Form 990 (990-N, 990-EZ, or 990) last year
- Have a SAM.gov profile with a Unique Entity ID (UEI) and active registration
- Additional information on navigating this process is available on the City's website
- Have no outstanding financial liabilities with the City of Pittsburgh, or demonstrate an approved payment plan
- Have current general liability insurance
- Have current worker's compensation insurance (only required if organization has paid staff)
What projects are eligible?
Projects must benefit at least one eligible census tract
Projects must further at least one of the following goals:
- Main Street Revitalization
- Affordable Housing Improvements
- Vacancy Rate Reduction
- Organizational Development
Common Expenses
- Personnel (staff wages and benefits)
- Insurance, rent, and utilities
- Professional services
- Program supplies
Ineligible Expenses
- Construction
- Acquisition of real estate
- Direct payments to beneficiaries
- Food or merchandise ("swag")
- One-time events
Application Submitted. What's Next?
The Office of Management and Budget – Community Development team will review all applications for eligibility, then present the applications to the NED Advisory Committee. Applicants will be scored according to the scoring rubric agreed upon by the NED Advisory Committee. The rubric can be found here.
The NED Advisory Committee will invite up to 20 organizations to give a short presentation on their projects and answer any questions the Committee has. From these 20 organizations, the Committee will select at least 13 to recommend for funding. These recommendations will be passed on to City Council for the final funding decision.
The Community Development office expects that elected officials will make and officially legislate their grant determinations in late Fall. Due to programmatic changes, contracts will not begin until January 2025. This means your organization will not be able to request reimbursement for 2024 expenses.
Applicants should keep visiting this webpage for updates on the review process.
