The Money’s In! Authority Delivers Grants for 23 Local Needs

Editor’s note: this story was updated Friday morning to include additional grants.

HARRISBURG PA – Christmas arrived Tuesday (Sept. 15, 2026), more than three months ahead of schedule. That’s when Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) issued grants for a wide-ranging assortment of local projects.

Receiving its gifts were Lower Pottsgrove Township and 22 other municipal entities across Montgomery and Berks counties.

They are funded from the authority’s statewide “Local Share Account.” It collects and distributes gambling revenues “to support projects in the public interest.”

Lower Pottsgrove received the authority’s largest local grant – $1 million – among the 23 sums listed. It will help pay for a long-desired inclusive playground at the upper end of Sanatoga Park. Also, Pottstown will receive $800,000, covering two projects.

Montgomery County’s local recipients won a combined total of more than $5.69 million. Those listed in Berks will receive a total of $835,098. Local figures for Chester County were not immediately available.

News of the awards came from those representing state Senate and House districts. They included Sen. Tracy Pennycuick and Reps. Joe Ciresi, Donna Scheen, Gregg Scott, Milou Mackenzie, Ryan Bevitz, and Joe Emrick.

Grants Received in Montgomery County

Listed in alphabetic order, local MontCo grant recipients are:

• Collegeville Borough, $200,000, to restore the playground at Collegeville Community Park, installing a rubber ADA-compliant surface and two shade structures;
• Collegeville Trappe Joint Public Works, $250,000, to improve groundwater sources and ensure long-term compliance with U.S. EPA and PA DEP PFAS regulations;
• Douglass Township (Montgomery), $84,527, to purchase a new vehicle for its police department;
• East Greenville Borough, $68,577, for a police vehicle replacement;
• Lower Frederick Township, $318,813, for a sanitary sewer system rehabilitation project along Zieglersville Road;
• Lower Pottsgrove Township, $1,000,000, to create an inclusive playground at Sanatoga Park;
• Lower Salford Township, $510,757, to create an ADA accessible playground at Alderfer Park;
• Marlborough Township, $63,191, for a police vehicle and equipment;
• Marlborough Township, $308,815, for a new dump truck;
• Montgomery County, $244,236, to purchase three new box trucks that will support the Norristown Library’s outreach and delivery services;
• Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority on behalf of Historic Trappe,, $417,226, to assist with roof replacement and structural restoration at two buildings of the Historic Trappe Center, replace failing slate roof sections and gutters at the Dewees Tavern building, and restore timber framing, cupolas, and masonry gambles at the Muhlenberg Parsonage building;
• New Hanover Township on behalf of New Hanover Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, $141,526, to assist with improvements to its fire station;
• Norristown Municipal Waste Authority, $942,211, to rehabilitate portions of Norristown’s sewer system;
• Pennsburg Borough, $25,996, for police department equipment;
• Pottstown Borough, $550,000, for Good Will Steam Fire Engine Company #1 to purchase a fire engine;
• Pottstown Borough, $250,000, to repair the storm water arch at 657 Beech Street at the intersection of Grant Street;
• Upper Montgomery Joint Authority, $298,530, for manhole rehabilitation in East Greenville, Pennsburg and Red Hill borough; and
• Upper Pottsgrove Township, $79,990, to purchase a new police vehicle.

Distributed in Berks County

Berks local grants recipients, listed alphabetically, are:

• Berks County, $75,000, to purchase and upfit a new hazmat turnout vehicle for its Department of Emergency Services;
• Berks County Redevelopment Authority, $100,000, to restore sections of the historic Colebrookdale Railroad, including a bridge rehabilitation project;
• Douglass Township (Berks), $202,100, to purchase a new backhoe for its public works department;
• Douglass Township (Berks), $300,000, for improvements to Ganshahawny Park that include parking lot paving, ADA-accessible footpaths, gravel truck and boat parking, separate concrete ramps for boats and emergency vehicles, and the creation of a separate picnic/fishing area; and
• Hereford Township, $157,998, to purchase a new backhoe for its public works department.

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