PHILADELPHIA, September 15, 2020 — Cultural and historic organizations in Pennsylvania’s 1st Senate District will receive more than $5 million in grants to offset the cost of COVID-19 restrictions, state Sen. Larry Farnese announced today.
“Philadelphia is the birthplace of the nation and Pennsylvania’s leading tourist destination,” Farnese said. “That tourism is foundational to the local economy and these grants will help rebuild from the damage caused by the pandemic.”
The grants, paid for with CARES Act funding, were announced just one day after Farnese co-hosted a Senate Democratic Policy Committee hearing that painted a grim portrait of the pandemic’s effect on local cultural and historic assets.
“What we heard at yesterday’s hearing was a sobering tale of loss and survival,” Farnese said. “The news of these grants will be welcomed as these organizations struggle to re-open to the public.”
The Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) today approved 164 projects in 36 counties. The program will administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). A list of recipients can be found online. For 1st Senate District recipients, click here.
Under the program, funds may be used to offset lost revenue for eligible cultural organizations and museums that were subject to closure by the proclamation of disaster emergency issued by the Governor on March 6, 2020, and any renewal of the state of disaster emergency and that experienced a loss of revenue related to the closure. Funds cannot be used to offset revenue, which has already been offset from other sources, including philanthropic and federal, state, and local government sources.