In the near future, we plan to introduce legislation to increase the funding cap for the Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP).

Established by the General Assembly in 1967, NAP remains an important tool for businesses, nonprofits, and underserved communities. Its purpose is to revitalize distressed areas and promote neighborhood stability by fostering partnerships between community organizations and the private sector. To be eligible, applicants must meet criteria in at least one of the following areas: community service, workforce development, crime prevention, or neighborhood assistance.

NAP includes several subprograms: the Special Priorities Program (SPP), Neighborhood Partnership Program (NPP), Charitable Food Program (CFP), and Enterprise Zone Program (EZP). Increasing NAP funding would expand resources across all of these initiatives.

Tax credit programs continue to be a compelling incentive for organizations and businesses seeking to invest in their communities. NAP continues to contribute to job creation, strengthen state and local sales tax revenues, and increase property tax revenues in targeted areas. Its effectiveness is reflected in the growing demand from communities looking to participate in the program. This demand has led to applications now exceeding the cap on the NAP and its subprograms. Our proposed legislation would raise NAP funding from $72 million to $108 million per year.

We encourage your support for this legislation to help sustain and strengthen community partnerships across the Commonwealth.