NeighborWorks NEPA, Beautiful Blocks Program Open for Applications in Pittston, Carbondale, Scranton

Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 cycle of Beautiful Blocks, a home improvement program jointly sponsored by NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania and the City of Scranton, City of Pittston, and City of Carbondale. Beautiful Blocks provides matching grants of up to $1,000 per property to groups of five or more residents in participating communities to help them make exterior improvements to their homes.

The Beautiful Blocks program seeks to make neighborhoods throughout Scranton, Pittston, and Carbondale more attractive places to live. Eligible exterior improvements include everything from landscaping and painting to larger projects like sidewalks, front porch repair, door and window replacement, and more!

For the 2026 program cycle, residents in all three participating cities are eligible for an enhanced grant award for sidewalk projects that provides up to $2,000 per property in total funding towards replacement or significant repair of front sidewalks.

Grants will be awarded through a competitive application process. Applications will be judged on the number of participating residents, project impact and coordination, and the likelihood of neighbors continuing to work together in the future. Pre-applications are being accepted until Monday, March 30. Awards will be announced in May, with work taking place throughout the summer and fall months.

“We’re very excited to launch the eighth year of Beautiful Blocks in 2026,” said NeighborWorks’ President & CEO, Shane Powers. “Once again, we are pleased to offer this program to residents residing in the Cities of Carbondale, Pittston, and Scranton. Based on the tremendous success of the sidewalk repairs initiative, we are excited to offer the increased grant amount for sidewalks again this year to all three communities. Improvements to sidewalks and to the exterior of homes across the community support vibrant and safe neighborhoods.”

The 2025 Beautiful Blocks cycle saw a total of $143,116.68 awarded to 130 completed projects in Scranton, a total of $69,522.27 awarded to 60 completed projects in Carbondale, and a total of $45,419.07 awarded to 46 completed projects in Pittston.

Over the first seven cycles of Beautiful Blocks in the City of Scranton, the first five Beautiful Blocks cycles in the City of Carbondale, and the first two cycles of the program in the City of Pittston, more than 950 individual projects have been completed by participating residents, grouped into more than 130 block groups. More than $1 million in grant funding has been distributed as part of these projects, with participating residents contributing more than $2 million in matching funds to improving their neighborhoods.

For residents in participating cities who are interested in applying for the 2026 program cycle, public information sessions will be held in each community this month:

• Carbondale: Monday, February 23, 6:00 p.m., Carbondale Public Library (Community Room)
• Pittston: Wednesday, February 25, 6:00 p.m., Pittston Memorial Library (John P. Cosgrove Center)
• Scranton: Thursday, February 26, 6:00 p.m., Scranton Public Library (Henkelman Room)

“The city was thrilled to partner with NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania in 2025 to complete 46 Beautiful Blocks projects,” Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo said of his city’s second Beautiful Blocks cycle. “The results speak for themselves and this partnership is another opportunity for the city to advance the revitalization process in our neighborhoods. We look forward to a continued productive partnership with NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania for the 2026 cycle.”

“The Beautiful Block Program exemplifies what we can accomplish in Carbondale when residents, the City, and our valued partner NeighborWorks NEPA come together with a shared vision for thriving neighborhoods,” Carbondale Mayor Michele Bannon added. “In 2025, we were proud to support 60 projects across 9 project groups, leveraging $69,522.27 in grant funds to help homeowners make meaningful improvements that strengthen community pride and enhance property conditions. This partnership has not only beautified our streets but also reinforced the spirit of collaboration that defines our City. As we look forward to the 2026 program year, we’re excited to build on that success, expanding opportunities, empowering more neighbors, and continuing to transform blocks into vibrant places where people are proud to live, work, and grow together.”

“NeighborWorks’ Beautiful Blocks program continues to bring positive improvements to our neighborhoods each year,” Scranton Mayor Paige G. Cognetti said. “Last year’s projects provided over $140,000 in grant funds to 130 projects that help maintain Scranton’s beauty and build a stronger sense of community among our residents.”

Scranton, Pittston and Carbondale residents interested in participating in the Beautiful Blocks program can download pre-application instructions and access the pre-application document by visiting the program homepage at https://www.nwnepa.org/programs/neighborhood- revitalization/beautiful-blocks.html.

More information is also available by contacting Gerard Hetman, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania Community Development Specialist, at (570) 558-2490 or ghetman@nwnepa.org.