First, for an understanding of the program, let’s start with a summary taken from the Office of the PA Budget website – The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. RACP projects are authorized in the Redevelopment Assistance section of a Capital Budget Itemization Act, have a regional or multi-jurisdictional impact, and generate substantial increases or maintain current levels of employment, tax revenues, or other measures of economic activity. RACP projects are state-funded projects that cannot obtain primary funding under other state programs.
Now for the program insights – many non-profits, developers, municipalities and a host of economic development entities who have projects above the $1 million cost must have their project authorized by the PA General Assembly and once the RCAP round is announced, entities must submit a single application to the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). Then several months after the round applications are closed, the four (4) legislative caucuses submit their “short-list” to the Governor for consideration for his approval. All projects MUST be approved by the Governor. Then, it is a waiting game for when the Governor makes his announcement on projects he has approved. Those lucky projects that were approved then receive a letter from the Office of the Budget to formally announce approval and then a more substantive project submission must be completed and submitted to the Budget Office.
What is unique this year in the RCAP program is that Governor Wolf has announced a second round in 2021 when in the previous years in his administration, there have been only one round per calendar year. The application process for the 2nd round will begin shortly (probably in October) with approvals probably consolidated into one approval announcement probably sometime in December.
If you are interested in learning more of the program, please let us know.