3 Harlem Nonprofits Ask For Millions In Federal Dollars

HARLEM, NY — Three Harlem nonprofits are among the 10 institutions nominated by a Manhattan congressman to receive millions of dollars in federal funding under a recently-revived program.

The 10 submissions were requested by U.S. Rep. Adriano Espaillat as "earmarks," a program that allows members of Congress to redirect federal dollars for community projects in their home districts.

The practice was abolished 10 years ago amid corruption and waste claims, but brought back this spring as a tool for bipartisan compromise.

After soliciting proposals from within his district — which covers Upper Manhattan and the South Bronx — Espaillat's office said Thursday that he had submitted 10 projects to the House Appropriations Committee, which will choose a handful to fund.

That list included three projects in Harlem:

$1,739,440: New York Urban League Building Renovation

• The Urban League is seeking funding to "maintain full ownership of its historic building" on West 136th Street in Central Harlem. Funds would help the League renovate the 110-year-old building by restoring its facade, replacing its roof and upgrading HVAC and electrical systems, creating new programmatic spaces, meeting rooms and a Small Business Development Center to incubate new businesses and foster jobs.

$1,500,000: Charles B. Rangel Center for Infrastructure Workforce Training:

• The center, which is part of City College, will train people in construction and operations across multiple infrastructures, including transport, energy, communications, water and food. Trainees would be recruited from within the community, with a focus on preparing them for entry-level jobs and full careers.

$1,114,000: Mission Society: Level Up

• Requested by the NYC Mission Society on Malcolm X Boulevard, the funding would cover the nonprofit's Level Up programs, which aim to reduce the city's high school drop-out rate and prepare students for post-secondary education and the workforce. The program enrolls 1,800 students, addressing both academic and non-academic barriers to graduation.

"I am pleased to submit these project requests on behalf of my constituents and look forward to working with my colleagues on the House Appropriations Committee to secure as much funding as possible for my district," Espaillat said in a statement.

Nearly 50 projects were submtited after Espaillat first put out the request in late March.

His office narrowed that list to 10 submissions by choosing projects with the highest likelihood of being approved by the House committee — meaning those with narrow eligibility parameters and strong demonstrations of community support.

Espaillat's office also focused on projects that would contribute to relief from the COVID-19 pandemic by reducing hunger, addressing health disparities and training "a new generation of technology and infrastructure workers in underserved communities," his office said.

Espaillat's office did not say when the winning submissions would be announced.

The full list of projects can be found on Espaillat's website. Espaillat, a Democrat, has represented Upper Manhattan in Congress since 2017.