Share 
Atlantic City, a stalwart casino town on the East Coast, will be the beneficiary of $3 million in grants for its community. CRDA, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, announced its RISE initiative last week, which will devote millions to nonprofits and organizations, including online casinos, throughout Atlantic City.
Standing for Resources for Investment, Support, and Empowerment, RISE will contribute grants across four separate categories: Tourism and Arts & Culture, Workforce Development, Youth & Teen Development, and Community Resilience.
CRDA Executive Director Eric Scheffler described the grants as rewarding the outlets that put in the hard work in Atlantic City:
“RISE Atlantic City puts $3 million where it belongs: in the hands of the people and organizations doing the work in our neighborhoods every day.
Over the past several months, we sat down with small business owners, nonprofit leaders, and residents to hear what they need. Every grant category was shaped by that feedback, and we built in the accountability measures so these dollars deliver results residents can see.”
Grants to be issued on a rolling basis
The CRDA will be presenting the grants gradually to organizations in the four categories until the funding is exhausted. Details include:
- Grants issued on a reimbursement basis. Grantees pay eligible expenses and submit documentation for reimbursement.
- A funding match of 25% is required for requests of $30,000 to $99,000.
- A funding match of 50% is required for requests of $100,000 or more.
- Awards require approval by the CRDA Board.
Maisha Moore, CRDA’s Deputy Director, described the RISE program as vital for Atlantic City’s future:
“Every RISE Atlantic City grant tells a story about what’s possible when Atlantic City residents have quality programming with real investment behind them.
It’s the after-school program that gives a parent peach of mind, the job training that leads to a first paycheck, the neighborhood event that brings people together — that is the kind of impact that matters and it is exactly why this program is vitally important to creating a new future for Atlantic City.”
