PITTSBURGH – On Oct. 12, mayor of Pittsburgh Bill Peduto announced the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh has selected seven different community projects to receive a minimum of $30,000 of funding. In total, the city has awarded $500,000 to these projects.

The funding comes from the Neighborhood Initiative Fund (NIF), which assists nonprofit and community-based organizations with the goal to improve quality of life and give neighborhoods the resources to become desirable places to live.

The program is still fairly new, created in 2019, but it has already helped out twenty-eight projects across more than twenty differing city neighborhoods. In total, they have invested over $1.4 million.

The Avenues of Hope, a black-owned, center of black art and culture, aids the program as well. Its goal is to invest in existing small businesses and residents to support the inclusive growth of black and diverse neighborhoods. It’s also home to five of the awarded projects in the area.

With the missions of the NIF and Avenues of Hope being so tailored towards bettering neighborhoods, it ensures great change to come.

“We are proud to continue the NIF program with a focus this round on supporting the rebuilding of Pittsburgh’s Black main streets through Avenues of Hope,” said Peduto. “This next round of the NIF will allow the City and URA to invest in community-driven projects that put the community’s vision at the center of development of neighborhood business districts.”

The community now patiently awaits the progress of the awarded projects. They include the Jasmine Nyree Community Access Project, MWBE Stage II Incubator in Mount Washington, Pods of Opportunity, Beltzhoover Institute for Arts and Sciences, Big Tom’s, Façade Restoration at 523-537 Larimer and 2115 Perrysville Renovation.