See What Projects In Newport Got Funded In Biden's 2023 Budget

NEWPORT, RI — This week, Congress sent the spending package for Fiscal Year 2023 to President Joe Biden for his signature, and the package included funding for 15 projects in Rhode Island, including two in Newport.

"I'm proud that all of the projects I fought to include in this bill were passed this week," Rep. David Cicilline (D) said in a statement. "These 15 projects will help Rhode Island families with childcare and affordable housing, with the development and expansion of community centers, allow for better fire protection, and help us develop a safer, cleaner and more efficient water supply. This funding will also support our community’s mental health and bolster learning opportunities for our students."

The following projects in Newport will receive federal funding in 2023. Included are details about the projects from Cicilline's office.

Renovation of Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County’s (BGCNC) Clubhouse: $750,000

The funding will be used to support the renovation and expansion of BGCNC’s Central Clubhouse, which will double the center’s childcare capacity.

When completed in its entirety, the project will result in the addition of a third floor consisting of 3,500 square feet and the reconfiguration of 3,000 square feet on the existing floors, all of which will be utilized for childcare programming.

The project will add childcare slots to be filled by children from low-income households in the community, thereby increasing access to affordable childcare in Newport County, giving more children the support they need for a lifetime of learning, allowing family members to remain in the workforce, and enabling caregivers to enter and stay employed in this critical field.

Newport Mental Health Access Center: $1 million

This project will facilitate the construction of a new and centrally located Mental Healthcare Access Center in Newport County.

These funds will support architectural costs, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, sound, light, and landscape systems design costs, and the first $300,000 of hard construction costs. This urgently needed facility will be accessible by public transportation and ideally part of a multi-agency, multi-service access hub for healthcare services.

The project would enable Newport County Community Mental Health Center to increase their capacity of care and address the growing need for mental health care services in the community.