PHILADELPHIA, March 31 – State Reps. Morgan Cephas and Sean Dougherty, both D-Phila., announced today that Uber has extended its Senior Ride Program for West Philadelphia in partnership with ACHIEVEability and is expanding the program to serve Northeast Philadelphia in partnership with KleinLife.Cephas initiated a pilot program with Uber for free rides during SEPTA service cuts in the summer of 2025 to ensure that area seniors who rely on public transportation would be able to reach their doctor appointments, do their grocery shopping, pick up medication, or meet other critical needs.That pilot program was highly successful, facilitating over 1,000 total rides while empowering older adults with confidence and independence by effectively utilizing smartphone technology. Read more
Highmark Mann Center has been awarded a $250,000 state grant for operational support for its educational and cultural programming. Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 1 – The Philadelphia House Delegation issued a statement in support of Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Phila., and calling for the immediate resignation of Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-Butler/Lawrence, following his reported hateful outburst directed at Kenyatta, according to recent reporting by PennLive:“The Philadelphia House Delegation stands in support of our colleague from North Philadelphia Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta and echoes the call of the PA Legislative Black Caucus and PA LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus for the immediate resignation of Rep. Aaron Bernstine following his alleged disgusting, hate-filled tirade.“There is no stronger advocate than Rep. Kenyatta for the promise of Pennsylvania and equality of all people. There is no place in the institution of the House of Representatives nor in this commonwealth for hate speech and the reported abhorrent rhetoric espoused by Rep. Bernstine. As elected officials, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard of conduct, a level which Rep. Bernstine has repeatedly failed.“While we know that Rep. Kenyatta will continue to shine above the lowbrow spectacle of Rep. Bernstine and his ilk, we believe it’s time for the House Republican leaders and members to be accountable for their colleague, follow the lead of the majority of Pennsylvanians who reject those hateful views by publicly condemning Bernstine’s bluster, and demand that he do the right thing for Pennsylvania and the good people of Butler and Lawrence counties by resigning... Read more
“Menopause and perimenopause affect our health, our families, our work and our quality of life, yet too many people still feel unseen and unsupported,” said Cephas, D-Phila. “House Bills 1345 and 2135 are designed to expand access to treatment and prioritize the needs of aging populations in our workforce and healthcare system. Advancing this legislation helps us to break the stigma, raise awareness and ensure health equity.” Read more
State Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., announced two menopause bills have advanced from committee. Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 29 – On Monday, state Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler and Morgan Cephas, both D-Phila., introduced a joint resolution (H.B. 2807), the Progressive Taxation for PA Bill, which proposes repeal of the Uniformity Clause in the Pennsylvania Constitution. According to the sponsors, Pennsylvania has the fourth-most regressive state and local tax system in the country, exacerbating income inequality and putting an undue burden on the working class. A significant reason for this, they said, is the Uniformity Clause in the state constitution, which requires all taxes to be applied uniformly to the same class of subjects. “Pennsylvania desperately needs revenue to fund our schools, roads, public transit, and more, but the Uniformity Clause is one of the biggest roadblocks to getting the mega-rich and mega-corporations to pay what they owe,” said Fiedler . “It just doesn’t make sense that a worker making $7.25/hour pays the same income tax as someone making seven figures, or that a family home in South Philly pays the same property tax as an Amazon warehouse worth $70 million. That’s not fairness – it's elites skating by in a broken system.” “Philadelphia has one of the highest state and local taxes for working families, and any attempts to change that have been stopped in their tracks by the Uniformity Clause,” said Cephas . “This clause implements a regressive Read more
NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Department of Transportation: Multimodal Transportation Fund (MTF) Who May Apply: Municipality, council of governments, business/non-profit, economic development organization, public transportation agency, port or rail/freight entity Use: The MTF provides grants to encourage economic development and ensure a safe and reliable system of transportation exists in Pennsylvania. The program is intended to provide financial assistance in order to improve public transportation assets that enhance communities, pedestrian safety, and transit revitalization. Funds: Project costs must be above $100,000 and no award shall exceed $3,000,000 Application Deadline: October 30, 2026 More information: PennDOT Website Department of Agriculture: Very Small Meat and Poultry Processor Reimbursement Grant Program Who May Apply: A person operating under a grant of inspection that meets the definition of ''very small establishment'' in 9 CFR 381.65(g)(1)(i) Use: To support the development and expansion of current or future very small meat and poultry processing operations in this Commonwealth by offering reimbursement grants to cover the cost associated with obtaining a grant of inspection from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), opening a new very small meat and poultry processing operation, expanding the capacity of a Read more
"Each one of us have been touched by cancer, be it personally or through family members or colleagues," Philadelphia Delegation Chairwoman Morgan Cephas said. “We all know the transformative care offered at Fox Chase, which is a bright light throughout the state. Unfortunately, we must also talk about what is happening to healthcare at the federal level, including the elimination of research funding, rising costs for patients and the looming rollback of Medicaid dollars." Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 17 – The Philadelphia House Delegation announced that more than 1,200 grants totaling over $43 million have been awarded to projects across the city this week through Pennsylvania’s Local Share Account program. Read more
State Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., announced that two projects in the 192nd Legislative District have been awarded Local Share Account grants totaling more than $1.2 million. Read more
After attending the Black Maternal Health Conference 2026, the Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus co-chairs shared updates on maternal health care efforts and the PA MOMNIBUS 2.0 legislative package. Read more
State Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Philadelphia, spoke in recognition of 250 years of American independence yesterday at the historic PA House session at Congress Hall. Read more
NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Commonwealth Financing Authority: Local Share Account Statewide Who May Apply: Counties, municipalities, municipal authorities, economic development agencies, redevelopment authorities, land banks, or councils of government. Non-profits may partner with an eligible applicant to apply on their behalf. Use: Projects in the public interest. Projects that improve the quality of life of citizens in the community. Eligible projects must be owned and maintained by an eligible applicant or a nonprofit organization. Funds: The PA Race Horse Development and Gaming Act provides for the distribution of gaming revenues through the Commonwealth Financing Authority to support projects in the public interest. Grant requests must be at a minimum $25,000 and no more than $1,000,000. Application Deadline: November 30, 2026 More information: DCED Website Commission on Crime and Delinquency: 2026 PACTT – PA Academic, Career and Technical Training Who May Apply: All existing residential facilities, community-based providers, and juvenile probation departments that are current PACTT Affiliates in good standing and are not on provisional status Use: To advance academic and career/technical training among adjudicated youth receiving services in either residential facilities or from community-based providers or from County Juvenile Probation Departments that are PACTT affiliates Read more
“Menopause and perimenopause affect our health, our families, our work and our quality of life, yet too many people still feel unseen and unsupported,” Cephas said. “The ‘No Time for a Pause’ package is about bringing this conversation out of the shadows, which marks an important step to address stigma, expand access to treatment and prioritize the needs of aging populations in our healthcare system. I encourage the public to get engaged as we work together to break the stigma, raise awareness and ensure that health equity remains at the center of how we shape policy, deliver care and support our communities.” Read more
NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Department of Agriculture: Fruit Grower Freeze Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant Program Who May Apply: Specialty crop growers who experienced a loss of at least 30% of expected production due to freezing temperatures between April 1, 2026 and April 21, 2026 Use: Grants will be awarded on a per-acre basis to help growers recover from lost crops Funds: $10 million in funding is available Application Deadline: September 21, 2026 More information: PDA Website Department of Agriculture: Pennsylvania Agriculture Innovation Grant Program Who May Apply: A person who grows an agricultural commodity and who has anticipated sales greater than $2,000 per year, a person who processes an agricultural commodity and has anticipated sales greater than $10,000 per year, a person who provides technical assistance or services to farmers for conservation, engineering, veterinary care, animal disease management, farm management, agricultural commodity production, nutrient management or similar services, or a person or cooperative association that utilizes agricultural commodities to create products or energy Use: Grants will reimburse expenses for project planning, on-site project implementation, and larger grants for projects that have a regional impact. Funds: $10 million in funding is available Application Deadline: September 23, 2026 More information: PDA Website Read more
State Reps Morgan Cephas and Liz Hanbidge introduce legislation to help make child care more affordable for Pennsylvanian families. Read more
Check out our Summer 2026 newsletter! Read more
NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Pennsylvania Creative Industries (formally Council on the Arts): Spotlight Program Who May Apply: Non-profit organizations with an annual average arts revenue of $10,000 to less than $100,000 and a history of at least two years of consistent arts programming in Pennsylvania Use: To support smaller creative arts organizations that deliver services, products, or programs Funds: Grant awards shall not exceed $5,000 Application Deadline: September 14, 2026 More information: PCI Website Commission on Crime and Delinquency: School Safety & Mental Health Grants Who May Apply: School Districts, Intermediate Units, Area Career and Technical Schools, Charter Schools, Regional Charter Schools, and Cyber Charter Schools Use: To provide grants to eligible school entities to support physical security enhancements and/or mental health initiatives Funds: A total of $138,779,000 in state funding is being announced to support this initiative. Funding is based on the formula included in 24 P.S. §13-1314.3-B, which stipulates school districts are to receive a $100,000 base amount for their grant, and an additional amount based on their 2024-25 Adjusted Average Daily Membership (AADM). All other eligible school entities (i.e., intermediate units, area career and technical schools, charter schools, regional charter schools, and cyber charter schools) are to receive $70,000 Read more
NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Department of Community and Economic Development: Main Street Matters (MSM) Who May Apply: Units of local government, redevelopment and/or housing authorities, nonprofits, economic development organizations, housing corporations, community development corporations, business improvement districts, neighborhood improvement districts, downtown improvement districts, and similar organizations incorporated as authorities. Use: A flexible tool for use in community and economic development for a variety of uses including planning activities, façade grant programs, business improvement grant programs, accessible housing programs, and district development grants. Funds: Individual grant awards vary depending on the type of grant. Application Deadline: August 31, 2026 More information: DCED Website Department of Transportation: Rail Freight Grant Program Who May Apply: Railroad company, transportation organization, municipality, municipal authority, or user of rail freight infrastructure Use: Capital maintenance of freight or intermodal rail infrastructure and capital construction of freight or intermodal rail infrastructure Application Deadline: August 28, 2026 More information: PennDOT Website Department of Conservation and Natural Resources: Motorized Trails and Recreation Program (formerly known as the All-Terrain Vehicle and Snowmobile Read more
NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Nonprofit Security Grant Funds Who May Apply: Nonprofit organization based in Pennsylvania that serves primarily individuals, groups, or institutions that are included within a bias motivation category for single hate crime incidents identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Use: Security enhancements designed to protect the safety and security of the users of a facility including but not limited to safety and security planning, purchase of safety and security equipment, safety and security training, purchase of security-related technology, and specialty-trained canines, among other projects Funds: $10 million is available for projects. Application Deadline: September 10, 2026 More information: PCCD Website Commission on Crime and Delinquency: NCA Member Child Advocacy Centers Who May Apply: Eligibility for these funds is open to all CACs listed in the Appendix Use: Funding to support compliance with NCA standards, to improve the work of the CAC and to apply for or achieve accreditation/reaccreditation, or for equipment necessary to support NCA standards of accrediation Funds: A total of approximately $2.067 million in state Act 28 of 2014 funds is being announced to support this initiative. PCCD expects to fund forty-two (42) non-competitive, one-year grants with budgets allocated accordingly based on level of NCA membership Read more
NEWLY LISTED PROGRAMS Commonwealth Financing Authority: Public School Facility Improvement Grant Who May Apply: School entities, defined as a school district or an area career and technical school. Use: Facility improvement projects, including but not limited to roof repair/replacement, heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment, plumbing systems, window repair/replacement, health and safety upgrades, and accessibility projects. Funds: $200 million in total funding is available. Grant requests shall not exceed $5 million per eligible improvement project. School entities may submit more than one application, but no school entity shall receive more than 20% of the total funding available. Application Deadline: A 10-day application window will open on July 27, 2026, and close on August 7, 2026. There will not be an additional funding round in fiscal year 2026-27. More information: CFA Website Commission on Crime and Delinquency: 2027-2028 Rights and Services Act (RASA/Victims of Juvenile Offenders (VOJO) Solicitation Who May Apply: Counties Use: To support responsibilities assigned to prosecution and juvenile probation under the Crime Victims Act, the Juvenile Act, and Pennsylvania’s Rules of Juvenile Court Procedure. Funds: A total of $10,440,724 in federal and state funds is available in year 1. PCCD expects to fund approximately ninety-eight grants. Application Read more
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