Essex County Awards $5.7M In Grants As Trump Funding Freeze Looms

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Nearly $5.7 million in federal funding has been awarded to towns and nonprofits across Essex County. But will the recipients see any of more of these grants in the future? That may be a question for President Donald Trump.

Last week, Essex County officials announced the latest local recipients of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) awards. Watch a video of the presentations here.

The county’s announcement comes as a struggle over the federal budget continues to take place across the nation (read more below).

The federal programs – which are funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered by local government bodies – pay for programs such as affordable housing, poverty relief and infrastructure development.

The funds have no impact on the county budget and cannot be used as revenue in the county’s operating budget, officials said.

In total, 12 municipalities and 36 community organizations in Essex County will split $5.7 million in funds through the 2025 CDBGs and ESGs.

According to a news release from the county, here’s where the money will go:

TOWNS AND CITIES – A total of $4,372,781 was awarded to 12 municipalities and county programs in the Essex County consortium. Grant funding will be used to repave roadways, improve handicapped accessibility at public buildings, install new sidewalks, improve water and sewer lines, and purchase a vehicle for senior citizen transportation. Grants ranged in size from $30,000 to Glen Ridge and Roseland for ADA improvements to $374,000 to West Orange for roadway rehabilitation and support to the Bethany Center and Main Street Counseling. Essex County was provided with $1,055,906 for program oversight, monitoring and administration and $1,359,250 for new elevators in the Essex County Veterans Courthouse in Newark. Bloomfield, East Orange, Irvington and Newark apply for CDBG funding independently and do not participate in the Essex County consortium. Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell, South Orange and West Caldwell did not submit applications.

NONPROFITS – A total of $906,750 was awarded directly to non-profit community organizations. Grant funding will support mental health counseling, supportive services for disabled residents, vocational rehabilitative services, facility upgrades, senior programming and the purchase of vehicles. Grants ranged in size from $5,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters from Newark to $48,000 to the Family Service League from Montclair and The North Ward Center from Newark. Essex County was provided with grants of $450,000 for the Home Improvement Program and $100,000 for the Tenant Resource Center.

SOCIAL SERVICES – A total of $460,258 was awarded to 12 local social service agencies through the Emergency Services Grant program. Funding will be used to renovate shelter facilities, support housing programs and homeless prevention services, and street outreach initiatives. Grants range in size from $6,500 to HBP RAIN Foundation and My Sister’s Lighthouse in Newark for shelter operations and rapid rehousing activities to $138,239 to YMCA of Newark and Vicinity for shelter and rapid rehousing activities. Essex County was provided with a $34,519 grant to administer the program.

“The beauty of the CDBG and ESG programs is their ability to fund a broad array of projects without affecting the budgets of the county, municipalities or organizations receiving the grants,” said Anibal Ramos, director of the Essex County Department of Economic Development, Training and Employment.

“This is a great example of a tax relief program that benefits all county citizens,” Ramos said.

• See Related: Tax Hike In Proposed Essex County Budget (See The Latest Numbers)

FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE

President Trump has made trimming “woke” ideology from the federal budget one of his priorities since his inauguration.

The White House has announced plans to put a blanket pause on federal grants and loans, including those that have already been approved. Officials said the freeze is needed to ensure that funding complies with Trump’s recent executive orders, including declarations involving transgender rights, environmental justice, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

“The use of federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve,” Matthew Vaeth, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote in a memo.

A deadline for the funding freeze was set to take place on Jan. 28, but the order has sparked multiple legal challenges, including a lawsuit from a coalition of state attorneys general.

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin is among those who are blasting Trump for trying to “withhold nearly $3 trillion in federal assistance funding allocated to the states that support critical programs and services that benefit the American people.”

Two federal judges recently ordered temporary blocks on the freeze. Meanwhile, some nonprofits report that their funding has remained frozen, forcing them to lay off staff and cut back on services.

“We will continue to fight these illegal actions until all funds New Jersey is entitled to are restored,” Platkin said Friday.

• See Related: Here’s Who Would Suffer From Trump Funding Freeze In NJ, Advocates Say

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. was among a cadre of Democratic elected officials who attended a press conference on the proposed freeze last week.

According to the county executive, Essex County receives tens of millions of dollars each year from the federal government to “modernize its infrastructure” and provide social services for its most vulnerable residents.

“Not being able to access funds previously awarded will create significant financial pressure on our budget and severely limit our ability to enhance our residents’ quality of life,” DiVincenzo said.

DiVincenzo told NorthJersey.com that he was optimistic the funds that power the CBDG grants will eventually make their way to Essex County, however.

“It goes back to Congress and they wheel and deal,” DiVincenzo said. “We go through this every year.”

• See Related: NJ Dems Rally Against Trump Funding Freeze In Essex County

The White House has rescinded the original memo from the Office of Management and Budget. However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt recently posted on social media that it was “simply a recession of the memo” – not a rollback of the federal funding freeze.

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