FY 2027 Community Project Funding Requests
Congressman Evans submitted the following Community Project Funding requests for Fiscal Year 2027 for Pennsylvania's 3rd Congressional District, with accompanying financial disclosure certifications:
- GPHA at Village Square, $1,380,164. The intended recipient is The Greater Philadelphia Health Action, Inc. located at 1401 S. 31st St., Philadelphia, PA 19146. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because FQHCs like GPHA build healthy communities and reduce health disparities within communities. Communities of color and low-income communities suffer disproportionately from lack access to health care unaddressed health problems. This project 1) makes primary care services easily accessible in a community that needs it; 2) reduces unnecessary and costly ER/Hospital visits for primary services; 3) improves the physical and mental health of people so they can work and go to school; 4) is an excellent use of taxpayer funds because it saves taxpayers dollars and it saves people's lives.
- WCNA Pathways to Growth & Impact Initiative, $25,000. The intended recipient isWynnefield Community Neighborhood Association Inc. located at 1905 N. 54th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19131. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it directly invests in workforce development, youth opportunity, and long-term economic stability within the community. By providing high school students with hands-on training in high-demand skilled trades such as HVAC, electrical systems, and gas repair, the program prepares young people for viable career paths that offer competitive wages, job security, and opportunities for advancement.
- Tiger Trades Workforce Initiative, $500,000. The intended recipient is Tiger Electrical Academy located at 2243 W. Allegheny Ave. Philadelphia, Pa 19132. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it 1. Direct Economic ROI: Research on industry-focused job training shows that for every $1 invested, taxpayers see a return of up to $3.68 over ten years through increased tax revenue and a significant reduction in public assistance reliance. By transitioning 60 residents into family-sustaining careers with an average starting wage of $25+/hour, this project creates a permanent shift from public dependency to economic contribution. 2. Addressing the National Labor Crisis: The U.S. currently faces a shortage of over 500,000 electrical and manufacturing workers. This project directly addresses the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) goals by creating a 'Smart Manufacturing Lab' that trains resident for 'Industry 4.0' roles, ensuring Philadelphia remains competitive in the global industrial economy. 3. Removal of Systematic Barriers: By combining technical training with a dedicated Barrier Reduction Fund (transportation, stipends, and certifications), we ensure that federal funds are utilized efficiently. This model prevents 'training dropouts' and ensures a high completion-to-placement rate, maximizing the impact of every taxpayer dollar spent. Ultimately, this funding turns a one-time capital investment into a permanent neighborhood asset at 2243 W. Allegheny Ave, providing a recurring talent pipeline for the 3rd Congressional District for years to come.
- Parkside-Wynnefield-Cynwyd Trail, $1,500,000. The intended recipient is the City of Philadelphia located at Four Penn Center, 17th Floor, Philadelphia PA 19103. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will construct 1.3 miles of ADA accessible trail that will connect Fairmount Park in West Philadelphia to the Bala Rail Station in lower Merion Township, Montgomery County.
- PHL-Small Business Growth Accelerator Program, $4,900,000. The intended recipient is Lancaster Avenue 21st Century Business Association located at 3500 Lancaster Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19104. The project will be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because the program addresses the needs of small business owners assisting them through multiple means such as providing performance data, strategic coaching, and tailored technical assistance. Funding will be allotted to programming and renovations for their building.
- Equitable Community Development Corporation, $3,000,000. The intended recipient is Equitable Community Development Corporation located at 5712-26 Race St, Philadelphia, PA 19139. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it addresses a significant priority for the community. Shelters not only serve residents in times of their greatest need, but they also serve the public interest by reducing unsheltered homelessness. This investment improves service delivery and ensures that the shelter system can meet rising needs with facilities built for long-term community benefit.
- District One Community Education Center Inc., $3,000,000. The intended recipient is District One Community Education Center Inc. located at 3500 Lancaster Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because the CEC, a former school building being restored for sustained community use, is precisely the type of project the EDI program was designed to support. c. This project delivers on the EDI program’s stated priorities: it rehabilitates a historic community facility, removes barriers to access for elderly and disabled residents, expands workforce training capacity, and strengthens a multipurpose community center serving an economically disadvantaged neighborhood. It is precisely the type of investment the EDI program was designed to support, targeted, community-rooted, and built to deliver lasting impact.
- ADA Accommodation and Capital Improvement Project for Stenton Family Manor, $3,000,000. The intended recipient is City of Philadelphia Office of Homeless Services located at 1401 JFK Blvd Suite 1030, 10th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102-1617. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it addresses a significant priority for the community. Shelters not only serve residents in times of their greatest need, but they also serve the public interest by reducing unsheltered homelessness. This investment improves service delivery and ensures that the shelter system can meet rising needs with facilities built for long-term community benefit.
- Single Room Occupancy Project, $3,000,000. The intended recipient is The City of Philadelphia Office of Homeless Services located at 1401 JFK, Suite 1030, 10th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because this approach represents a strong and responsible use of taxpayer funds because SROs can be delivered significantly faster and at a lower per-unit cost than traditional ground-up housing construction. By repurposing existing buildings, the City can expand housing capacity quickly while maximizing the value of public investment.
- Philadelphia Energy Authority, $1,250,000. The intended recipient is Philadelphia Energy Authority located at 30 South 15th St., Suite 801, Philadelphia PA 19102. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because Philadelphia's low-income homeowners face some of the highest energy burdens in the nation, spending a disproportionate share of their income on utility costs in homes with aging, inefficient heating and cooling systems. Clean energy improvements, including rooftop solar and heat pump HVAC systems, directly address this burden by reducing monthly utility costs, improving indoor air quality and comfort, and delivering permanent capital improvements to homes in some of Philadelphia's most disinvested communities.
- Nicetown Community Development Corporation, $2,995,188. The intended recipient is Nicetown Community Development Corporation located at 4414 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19140. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because Nicetown remains separated by this long stretch of vacant land along the 4300 block of Germantown Avenue. Creating a Sports Court would reunite the community that is split by this property , combat dumping of trash in an empty lot, and foster civic pride in one’s neighborhood. The concept envisioned skate parks, basketball and futsal courts, bocce areas, gathering spots, small business vending, and public art to reconnect the corridor and create a safe, lively public space. Parks and Rec will manage the site once it is completed.
- Lead Service Line Replacement: Citywide Childcare Centers, $1,000,000. The intended recipient is The Philadelphia Water Department, located at 1101 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because reducing lead exposure protects children and families, improves long term health outcomes, and builds public trust in City services. This project supports the mayor’s priorities of a safer and cleaner Philadelphia through the replacement of lead service lines. There is no safe level of lead exposure. A targeted initiative, such as Lead Service Line Replacement: Citywide Childcare Centers, is the permanent solution for reducing the risk of lead exposure through drinking water at childcare facilities and private schools.
- Improving Emlen Elementary’s Schoolyard, $860,200. The intended recipient is the School district of Philadelphia located at 440 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because Redesigned playful schoolyard spaces provide a multitude of benefits for the taxpayer. Schoolyards provide a critical space for families within the community the schools serve. They introduce young families to the school community and ease transition from pre-school to the formal learning environment, providing a space for play after school and during the summer. An engaging schoolyard makes the community more inviting to prospective families and boost the home values and foster a strong sense of community. Playful learning areas provide a space for therapeutic processing of stress for children of all ages, critical for students' focus and attention and creating a healthy social climate within the school and the community.
- Play for All: Shawmont, Kenderton, Hamilton, Dobson, & Meade, $1,200,000. The intended recipient is the School district of Philadelphia located at 440 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because Redesigned playful schoolyard spaces provide a multitude of benefits for the taxpayer. Schoolyards provide a critical space for families within the community the schools serve. They introduce young families to the school community and ease transition from pre-school to the formal learning environment, providing a space for play after school and during the summer. An engaging schoolyard makes the community more inviting to prospective families and boost the home values and foster a strong sense of community. Playful learning areas provide a space for therapeutic processing of stress for children of all ages, critical for students' focus and attention and creating a healthy social climate within the school and the community.
- The 52nd Street Corridor Revitalization, $3,000,000. The intended recipient is the City of Philadelphia located at 1600 JFK Blvd, Ste 1700, Philadelphia, PA 19103. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will create a more accessible, pedestrian-friendly, and vibrant environment for residents, businesses, and visitors to the 52nd Street commercial corridor. The project will improve transportation infrastructure, increase connectivity, and foster economic growth, while also promoting safety and sustainability within the community. If fully funded, this project will ensure that the 52nd Street area continues to be a hub for local commerce, social interaction, and long-term community development.
- Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, $300,000. The intended recipient is Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office located at 3 South Penn Square, Philadelphia, Pa 19107. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because unsolved homicides greatly impact the community in measurable and immeasurable ways. Cold cases tear at the very fabric that holds society and the justice system together. When violent crimes go unsolved, the public loses faith in law enforcement and the administration of justice. Victims and their loved ones, those whose lives have been forever altered by violence—are left without answers or resolution. The community at-large is at risk when perpetrators are not held accountable for their crimes. The community is less safe when a violent perpetrator remains free, unencumbered, and able to reoffend.
- Philadelphia Community Youth Court, $400,000. The intended recipient is Philadelphia Community Youth Court located at 441 E. High Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because processing a young person through the traditional juvenile court system is significantly more expensive than community‑based diversion. Philadelphia’s District Attorney’s Office has documented that spending on system-involved youth is rising, even while the number of youths entering the justice system is declining, indicating inefficiencies and high per‑youth costs. Diversion programs are cited as more cost‑effective alternatives for taxpayers.
- Philadelphia Police Body worn Camera and In Car Camera Expansion, $7,300,000.The intended recipient is the City of Philadelphia Police Department located at 400 N. Broad Street, 4th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19130. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds as body worn and in-car systems cut across multiple critical areas in policing, including officer safety, investigations, and accountability. This funding directly supports strategic goals related to constitutional policing, use-of-force accountability, modernization of public safety technology and operational readiness.
- The Urban League of Philadelphia’s Reentry & Workforce Initiative,$400,000. The intended recipient is The Urban League of Philadelphia located at 1500 John F Kennedy Blvd. Suite 1910, Philadelphia, PA 19102. The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it strengthens public safety and economic stability by delivering evidence-based employment services to justice involved individuals. The program operates inside correctional facilities and in direct partnership with local courts, providing prerelease workforce readiness workshops, reentry navigation, and post release employment placement support. Through established relationships with correctional education units, probation/parole officers, and court appointed reentry coordinators, they ensure that participants receive uninterrupted support from incarceration through community reintegration. These partnerships allow the organization to align programming with judicial expectations, reduce recidivism risk, and create strong accountability structures for participants. By combining workforce development, trauma responsive coaching, and employer engagement, the Urban League delivers a comprehensive model that addresses the economic drivers of recidivism. This approach makes our program a strong fit for Commerce, Justice, and Science priorities focused on community safety, reentry, and economic opportunity.
- The Floating Water Workshop, $650,000. The intended recipient is Fund for the Water Works at 640 Waterworks Drive, Lower Level Philadelphia, PA 19130. The project would be of valuable use to the community because it will help children learn science and potentially pique their interest in science-related careers, inspire the next generation of climate resilience advocates, demonstrate effective practices that the region’s environmentally-focused organizations can replicate, provide an accessible platform for innovative water research for more than a dozen environmental education organizations and be a destination for visitors from near and far. Two walkways, anchored to a small landing, provide access from Penn’s Landing to the floating platform, creating a brand-new city trail and riverfront highlight. The Workshop will have significant public access hours. Unfortunately, Philadelphia’s waterways are inaccessible to most residents: there are very few access points where they can get out on the water, see science in action. The Workshop seeks to be an antidote to this trend and will bring visitors and students on the river. The city’s only floating park will provide visitors to the densely urban Delaware River waterfront with recreation opportunities, further enhancing visitor experience for all who use the Trail including bicyclists, pedestrians, and birders.