Clifton Heights staff seek council OK to apply for DCED Main Street Matters grant

Consultants for Clifton Heights asked borough council to authorize applying for Pennsylvania’s Main Street Matters program and to approve a $6,000 application-administration fee so the borough can pursue facade and streetscape funding for Springfield Road and Baltimore Avenue.

Robin Adolfkin, on the phone from GSL Grant Success Labs, told council the borough has secured $5,400,000 in strategic grant awards since 2022 and outlined how Main Street Matters grants typically fund facade improvements and street enhancements. "We have the 5,400,000.0 in strategic grant awards secured since 2022 and '25," Adolfkin said, and described services the firm provides beyond writing grants, including grant administration and report submission.

Lou Barreta of Long Nyquist, a Harrisburg government-relations firm, said the governor announced awards to 81 communities under the program and that more than 60% of those awards included a hybrid combination of facade grants and street-scape investments. "You always when when you've got, like, a sure thing, go for it," Barreta said, urging the borough to prioritize the kinds of projects the state is funding.

Why it matters: Main Street Matters grants are competitive but frequently fund visible downtown improvements that mix private facade work with public street-scape elements. Consultants said the program could cover up to $10,000 per business (dollar-for-dollar match) for facade work and permit items such as pedestrian improvements, benches, wayfinding, greenery, public-safety lighting and security cameras.

Consultants described a 30-day application window and offered a four-week action plan to assemble required exhibits and a business survey showing local buy-in. Robin Adolfkin said Grant Success Labs will provide templates and conduct much of the application work to reduce burdens on borough staff.

Council packet materials include a proposed resolution authorizing submission of the application and a separate contract or amendment to authorize Grant Success Labs to provide application administration services. The manager said the agenda will list a $6,000 application-administration fee; Long Nyquist is on standard retainer and would not charge a separate fee, the manager said.

Questions from council included requests for data showing how facade and streetscape grants affected business districts. Barreta and Adolfkin said they can compile case studies and data and that they will distribute a Google-form survey to gauge business interest.

What’s next: Council was asked to approve a resolution authorizing the application and to authorize a contract amendment or new agreement with Grant Success Labs for application administration. No formal council vote on the Main Street resolution was recorded in the transcript; the item was presented as an action to appear on the next regular meeting agenda.

The presentation also named consultant and professional costs to include an architect’s participation (an architect has offered a 10% discount on typical hourly charges, per the manager) and indicated the borough will include those professional line items in the grant application.