A vehicle that connects someone to essential services. An elevator that makes a community gathering place more accessible. Housing that offers someone a place to begin again.
Ten project applications facilitated by CREDC have received a combined $4,487,496 in Pennsylvania LSA Statewide grant awards, advancing investments in healthcare, housing, transportation, historic preservation, and community facilities.
The Commonwealth Financing Authority approved the awards on September 15, 2026, following applications submitted during the 2025 LSA Statewide funding round. CREDC submitted the applications on behalf of participating organizations, connecting community project needs with Commonwealth funding opportunities.
The awards support organizations working to address practical challenges- from aging building systems and transportation barriers to the need for additional housing and specialized healthcare space.
Awards and Proposed Projects: The awards support the following proposed projects. Final project scope may be adjusted as recipients determine how to combine their awards with other available funding.
- Historic Harrisburg Association — $600,000: Restoration of the Historic Harrisburg Resource Center, including exterior masonry, woodwork, and painting, to preserve the building that supports the association’s preservation and education work.
- Harrisburg Realty Improvements Corporation — $100,000: Creation of an additional housing unit by converting underused space within an existing residential building in downtown Harrisburg’s SoMa neighborhood.
- Latino Connection Foundation — $550,000: Support for the acquisition of mobile clinics that bring health screenings and related services directly to underserved communities.
- Zembo Shriners — $995,058: Roof replacements and boiler improvements intended to restore use of affected spaces and support the facility’s community events and fundraising activities.
- Friendship YMCA — $300,000: Expansion of usable program space through a mezzanine addition, creating room for more youth, senior, and community programming.
- Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center — $343,536: Emergency department renovations to better accommodate patients with behavioral health needs.
- Vista Autism Services — $95,267: Vehicle acquisition to help adults with autism and similar diagnoses access services, community activities, and opportunities to develop independent living and employment skills.
- Wildheart Ministries — $203,635: Vehicle acquisition to support student transportation to Hill Farm, farm operations, and food distribution.
- East Shore YMCA — $800,000: Elevator modernization to improve access throughout the multilevel building and help more people participate in its programs and services.
- The Qavah Foundation’s Eden Village — $500,000: Support for tiny-home construction as part of a planned community offering housing and supportive services to people experiencing chronic homelessness.
“The 2026 LSA awards represent a meaningful investment in the organizations and projects that strengthen our region,” said Melissa Stone, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC’s Vice President of Economic Development. “CREDC is pleased to help our community partners navigate the application process and connect with resources that support projects that are in the public interest and benefiting the citizens of our communities.”
“A stronger regional economy depends on the organizations that help people access housing, healthcare, transportation, and opportunity,” said Ryan Unger, President & CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC. “These awards support that essential work and demonstrate the value of connecting local vision with the resources to move it forward.”
Connecting community needs with capital resources
Each award addresses a different need, but the projects share a common purpose: helping community organizations improve the spaces, equipment, and services people rely on.
For CREDC, facilitating these applications is part of connecting regional partners with resources that can move important projects forward. The awards represent an important step toward implementation. CREDC will continue working with participating organizations as they finalize their plans and navigate grant requirements.
View the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s approved project list.
Have a community project in mind? Contact CREDC to discuss funding opportunities and application support.
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ABOUT THE HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
For 140 years, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC has served as the region’s catalyst for economic prosperity. The organization combines business, community, and economic development services to enhance the region’s vitality and livability. The Chamber is a five-star accredited chamber through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce- a distinction held by fewer than 1 percent of chambers nationwide. CREDC is the region’s toolbox for economic development. It is the only Certified Economic Development Organization (CEDO) approved by the Commonwealth’s Department of Community and Economic Development to perform economic development activities regionally using Pennsylvania’s funding programs across Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties.
