Community Center Digital Connect - New Jersey State Library

A CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND (CPF) GRANT OPPORTUNITY

Welcome to the Community Center Digital Connect grant page.

This grant aims to support the construction or improvement of buildings that enable work, education, and health monitoring in communities with critical needs

Our mission is to empower communities by providing access to high-quality modern infrastructure, including broadband, essential for accessing critical services.

Awarded Project Descriptions

Bayonne Public Library Renovations Project

Amount Awarded: $2,165,900.00

Hudson, New Jersey – The Bayonne Public Library will collaborate with the NJ Department of Education to become a GED testing site. Additionally, the library will allocate dedicated space for NJ Family Care workshops, assisting low-income residents with access to affordable care. Through a partnership with the Union League of Hudson County, the library will provide convenient job training programs for Bayonne residents.

Bergen Field Library – A Space For Success at the Bergenfield Library

Amount Awarded: $600,000.00

Bergen, New Jersey – The Bergenfield Public Library project will enhance educational programming with movable furniture and technology upgrades. In workforce development, the funding supports dedicated space for programs like social work, and improves facilities for ESL and technology classes. The project will also improve health monitoring, providing private spaces for telehealth visits and technological upgrades.

Borough of Freehold – Court Street School Community Improvements Project

Amount Awarded: $2,275,875.00

Monmouth, New Jersey – The Borough of Freehold will renovate and expand a facility to offer diverse educational programs, computer resources for job searches, and multipurpose rooms for historical and cultural initiatives. The project also focuses on health and community well-being by renovating spaces for events like job fairs and vaccination clinics, addressing health disparities, and supporting food distribution programs.

Burlington County Library – Pemberton Connects to Improved Health and Life Outcomes Project

Amount Awarded: $722,539.00

Burlington, New Jersey – The renovation project includes the construction of two multipurpose meeting rooms for various consultations and virtual appointments, a public technology lab, and a dedicated Teen Tech Lounge for digital skill-building and job readiness programs. The Library will partner with local community organizations to offer employment and health services, including job information sessions, career support, health screenings, and telehealth appointments, to strengthen workforce resources and community well-being.

Cumberland County Library – Maurice River Township Branch Library Project

Amount Awarded: $3,000,000.00

Cumberland, New Jersey – This project will build a new facility that will provide educational resources to assist residents with career and health-related services. Emphasizing accessibility and convenience, it will eliminate the need for travel to the main County Library. The facility will offer an onsite health station, expand library services, and contribute to creating a better-prepared and equipped workforce for improved employment rates and overall well-being in an underserved population.

Edison Township – Stelton Community Center Renovation Project

Amount Awarded: $3,000,000.00

Middlesex, New Jersey – The proposed project will modernize ten classrooms for educational services, create computer labs, transform existing rooms into private telehealth spaces, and the renovation will modernize the auditorium as a large multipurpose room for community events. Additionally, the project will create a sensory gym, fostering a conducive environment for interaction and engagement primarily for youth with disabilities.

Englewood Library – Englewood Public Library Expansion Project

Amount Awarded: $2,507,206.00

Bergen, New Jersey – The project includes the modernization and expansion of meeting rooms to offer more private spaces, accommodate multipurpose meetings, and facilitate telehealth appointments. The project will improve walkways and ramps for ADA compliance, collaborating with the Health Department to expand accessibility.

Fort Lee Public Library Capital Improvements Project

Amount Awarded: $1,000,000.00

Bergen, New Jersey – The Fort Lee Public Library will renovate and expand its facility and technology infrastructure, create rooms and a lab for telehealth, and address accessibility challenges for residents without personal computers or broadband. The library’s initiatives include partnering for English language and digital literacy courses, offering free educational programs, job readiness programs, and enhancing digital literacy for remote learning.

Gloucester County Library – Building a Community of Care by Providing Services & Digital Resources

Amount Awarded: $3,000,000.00

Gloucester, New Jersey – The Gloucester County Library System (GCLS) in Harrison Township plans to expand its education programs for all ages offering early literacy programs, STEM/STEAM initiatives, young adult clubs, and the introduction of a makerspace. Workforce and employment programs will provide training, job placement services, and online resources. The library will establish a telemedicine room, partnering with health services for screenings, and collaborating with organizations for nutrition access.

Henry J. Austin Health Center – Total Care Access Initiative

Amount Awarded: $1,435,000

Trenton, New Jersey – The Henry J. Austin Health Center will transform one site, modernizing its infrastructure and expanding its capabilities to effectively meet the evolving healthcare needs of the community. The renovation covers essential upgrades to ensure the functionality and efficiency of the healthcare facility. Services will involve community partners and cover education, workforce/employment, and health monitoring programs.

The Newark Public Library – The Family Health and Wellness Center at the Newark Public Library

Amount Awarded: $1,360,535.00

Essex, New Jersey – The Newark Public Library will renovate and expand of a facility to increase services. Workforce and employment goals include helping residents obtain unsubsidized jobs, increased opportunities for seniors, and out-of-school youth. Health monitoring objectives will enhance awareness of available resources, increased vaccination enrollment, and screenings for various health conditions, focusing on mental health among teens, young adults, and single parents.

North Bergen Health Department Expansion Project

Amount Awarded: $3,000,000.00

Hudson, New Jersey – This project will expand the main Health Department building into a full community Health Center. The expansion includes the addition of private spaces for community clinics, workforce/education workshops, telehealth, and interviews. Anticipated workshops cover communicable disease health education, workforce development, and educational classes. The programs will target impoverished, underinsured/uninsured, and language-barrier-affected populations.

North Brunswick Public Library – North Brunswick Thrives

Amount Awarded: $2,157,935.00

Middlesex, New Jersey – The library’s proposed project focuses on continuous improvement and modernization to provide multipurpose programming space and ADA-compliance to increase accessibility. Through engagement in literacy programs, language clubs, and academic support, the project aims to reduce language and literacy gaps across age groups. Job readiness workshops, health education/monitoring programs, and elevating digital capability will improve community engagement.

Paterson Free Public Library at Heritage Center

Amount Awarded: $1,000,000.00

Passaic, New Jersey – The Paterson Public Library will renovate and expand their facility. This includes a classroom, a computer lab, two multipurpose learning spaces, and a telemedicine room. These are open to all library visitors for classes, informational sessions, and community learning events. The project includes workforce development services, education resources and services, and technology enhancement. Health monitoring services include providing digital access for research and appointments.

Plainfield Public Library – Community Center Digital Connect

Amount Awarded: $2,365,000.00

Union, New Jersey – The infrastructure project will create new rooms for community service programming, establish a teen center, and reclaim previously unusable space for a community plaza. The project’s impact on education includes the addition of a room for young adults, while workforce initiatives involve increased job programming and fairs in collaboration with community partners. The technology upgrade focuses on improving digital connectivity, expanding Wi-Fi capacity, and adding computers for public use.

South Brunswick Public Library – SBPL Innovation, Training and Wellness

Amount Awarded: $221,000.00

Middlesex, New Jersey – The South Brunswick Public Library will renovate and expand the library. Education programming will offer active courses, explore diverse career options, and improved mental health for students. Workforce/employment impact includes long-term outcomes like broadened career opportunities and business growth. Health monitoring will increase awareness with long-term outcomes including a healthier community and improved health services through telehealth support.

Atlantic City Free Library – Building Community Project

Amount Awarded: $1,283,667.00

Atlantic, New Jersey – The Atlantic City Free Library will redesign and modernize facilities for flexibility, introducing private office pods for telehealth, and expanding high-speed broadband access. Impact on education involves a renovated meeting room for programming, updated technology, and a dedicated area for nutrition instruction. Employment services will provide resources and training for job seekers. Community health programs will partner with medical centers, conduct screenings, and utilize pods for telehealth services.

Town of Phillipsburg Housing Authority – Re-Envisioning the Phillipsburg EnVision Center

Amount Awarded: $378,600.00

Warren, New Jersey – The renovation and expansion initiative includes structured mentoring opportunities for local teens, increased programming for employment, local partnerships, and the introduction of telehealth and educational programs aimed to address community needs and enhance residents’ well-being. Additionally, the project includes the installation of Wi-Fi services to increase internet connectivity and benefit residents.

Union City Public Library – Community Resource Center

Amount Awarded: $3,000,000.00

Hudson, New Jersey – The proposed library project will introduce a state-of-the-art computer lab and fully-equipped multipurpose rooms to meet the diverse educational needs of the community. It plans an infrastructure update to integrate smart technology, private work pods, and study rooms. Its focus on health monitoring creates private spaces to facilitate telemedicine appointments, community partnerships, and active engagement in health initiatives.

Grant Purpose

The purpose of this grant is to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals and communities by enabling the construction or improvement of buildings that directly support work, education, and health monitoring. This grant also covers ancillary costs related to eligible capital projects necessary for full utilization of the asset.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the Community Center Digital Connect grant, an applicant organization must fall into one of the following categories:

Community Center (registered as a 501(c)3 organization or a unit of local government)
Full Service Community School
Health Center
Public Library

Eligible Communities

Eligibility for communities is determined based on a Census-derived index that evaluates municipalities, boroughs, and towns on the following criteria:

Percentage of the population with less than a high school degree
Population size
Percentage of households without internet access
Percentage of families living in poverty
Predominant racial/ethnic group (greater than 25%)

This methodology ensures that at least one community from each county in New Jersey is eligible to benefit from the grant . A list of eligible communities, as determined by this index, can be found in the grant guidelines.

Application Process

Step-by-step Breakdown: 1. Review the grant guidelines and eligibility criteria. 2. Prepare the required documents and application form. 3. Submit your application by the deadline of September 25, 2023. 4. Await notification of grant award decisions.

Timeline:

Application Guidelines Available July 10, 2023
Technical Assistance Webinar July 25, 2023
Questions Due August 25, 2023
Responses to Questions Posted July 18, 2023 – September 8, 2023 (weekly)
Applications Due September 25, 2023
Awards offered November 22, 2023
Project Technical Assistance November 22, 2023 – February 15, 2024
Pre-Award Risk Assessment November 22, 2023 – December 22, 2023
Grant Agreements sent out February 15, 2024
Projects start March 1, 2024

Downloadable Resources

Guidelines and Technical Assistance

FAQ for CPF Awardees (PDF) – February 16, 2024 – Provides responses to frequently asked questions that came up during one-on-one meetings with Advancing with Purpose.
NJSL Guidelines Capital Projects Fund (PDF) – August 1, 2023 – Official guidelines for the Capital Projects Fund grant, detailing eligibility, application requirements, and other important information.
Technical Assistance Webinar Presentation (PDF) – July 25, 2023 – Presentation slides from the technical assistance webinar, providing an overview of the grant application process and helpful tips.
Questions and Answers (PDF) – September 12, 2023 – Provides responses to common inquiries related to the Community Center Digital Connect program.

Resources

Federal Assurances and Certifications Checklist (PDF) – A checklist of federal assurances and certifications required for the grant application.
Environmental Checklist for CPF Application (PDF) – A checklist to ensure that the proposed project complies with environmental regulations.
2 CFR Part 200 Subpart E- Cost Principles (PDF) – This document provides comprehensive guidelines on cost principles for federal awards
Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund Compliance and Re porting Guidance (PDF) – The guidance, updated as of September 18, 2023, outlines the necessary compliance and reporting obligations for recipients of the Capital Projects Fund.

Forms to Attach

Form A: Certification (PDF) – A certification form to be completed and attached to the grant application, confirming the accuracy of the information provided.
Form B: Budget Summary (Excel) – July 27, 2023 – An Excel template for the budget summary, detailing the proposed allocation of grant funds.

Webinar Recordings