Community Revitalization

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Small Business Façade Improvement Grant Program

The City of Scranton is seeking applications for Façade Improvement funding for disproportionately impacted small businesses. The city is partnering with local non-profits; Scranton Tomorrow, NeighborWorks and United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA to administer this program. United Neighborhood Centers will oversee improvements in South Scranton, Minooka, and Pine Brook sections. Funding may be applied for and used to improve storefronts and facades including major maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, preservation, and restoration and other improvements. The City’s ARPA mission is to provide an incentive for private investment in exterior property improvements to small business commercial buildings located within the city limits. Awards are available up to $10,000 with a 25% match required by applicants. In instances where multiple eligible small business owners share the same façade, it is encouraged that small business owners submit a joint application for upgrades to the shared façade. Joint applications that involve upgrades to the same façade, but different small business storefronts will be eligible for an award up to 20,000, with the same 25% match required by the pooled group of applicants.

For more information on who is eligible, please see the Notice of Funding and Grant Program Guidelines.
Click here to download an application.

Completed applications for businesses in South Scranton, Minooka, and Pine Brook sections should be mailed to: Chrissy Manuel, Director of UNC Community Revitalization at cmanuel@uncnepa.org.

Neighborhood Revitalization
UNC works with residents and other partners to revitalize neighborhoods through projects that include renovating old buildings into new housing and commercial space; creating or supporting community groups that address community image, commerce and safety; and hosting of social/cultural events to build community pride. For example, in 2008, UNC led a community-wide effort to make physical, social, and economic improvements in the South Scranton neighborhood. The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development then designated the neighborhood an “Elm Street Community,” providing additional financial assistance. In 2010, the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation also became a major supporter, helping UNC secure millions of dollars to make numerous improvements to the area. Recently, UNC has embarked on a new project to revitalize the Pine Brook neighborhood of Scranton. For more information about UNC’s neighborhood revitalization work, contact the Director of Community Revitalization, Chrissy Manuel, at 570-346-6203.

South Side Farmers Market
As part of our work to revitalize the South Scranton neighborhood, and in order to address a lack of local access to fresh, affordable food, UNC created the South Side Farmers Market in 2010. Since that time, the market has expanded to a year-round indoor/outdoor market that can draw hundreds of people on a Saturday. The Market offers locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as eggs, meat, and baked goods. The Market’s outdoor location is on the corner of Alder Street and 500 Cedar Avenue and the indoor location is at 509 Cedar Avenue in Scranton. The Market is open Saturdays from 10:00am – 1:00pm. For more information, click here or call Market Manager Kelly Moore at 570-866-2472.

You can also follow the Market’s Facebook page.