Feingold Pushes For Community Revitalization Grants Bipartisan Group of Senators Supports Funding To Help Non-Profit Organizations Rebuild Low-Income Communities June 29, 2005 Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is calling on Senate appropriators to support community revitalization through the Community Economic Development (CED) grant program. Feingold joined a bipartisan group of Senators in asking the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor and Health and Human Services to fund the CED program in order to help nonprofit Community Development Corporations (CDCs) assist the private sector to improve housing. In a letter, the Senators asked that the subcommittee maintain the program, which is part of the Community Services Block Grant Act, at its current level of funding. "Organizations that do the important work of rebuilding and revitalizing low-income communities depend on programs like the CED grants to help turn these communities around," Feingold said. "Job creation, health care, and skills training are just part of the essential infrastructure generated by these grants. Those who receive CED grants have a track record of improving their communities and we need to continue funding this successful program." Several Wisconsin communities have used CED grants to expand business and create jobs. CDCs in Stevens Point, Almena, Fond du Lac and Milwaukee have used the grants to stimulate business creation that provides jobs to low- and moderate-income Wisconsinites. Currently there are about 3,600 CDCs at work nationwide, helping to direct public and private sector investment dollars to inner-city neighborhoods and small towns left behind by economic development elsewhere.

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