The Board members of the Penn Treaty Special Services District (PTSSD) commenced operations in January 2010. After more than two years of negotiations with the SugarHouse Casino, and through the incredible dedication and hard work of some outstanding neighborhood leaders, the affected communities of Fishtown, Northern Liberties, South Kensington and Old Richmond are now sharing in the funding secured by our Community Benefits Agreement (CBA).
It is important to note that the PTSSD will only fund programs and projects that fall within the boundaries of the PTSSD. (See the PTSSD map on this website). The seven (7) volunteer members of the PTSSD Board of Directors are charged with administering the details, and disbursing the limited funds gained through the CBA. Our goal is to make the most of this opportunity, providing our neighborhoods with these sorely needed resources to the best of our ability.
To date, the PTSSD has received three annual payments totaling $1,175,000 in funding from SugarHouse Casino under the CBA. This amount will eventually increase to $1,000,000 each year. While this may seem like a large amount of money, the PTSSD has already been approached by and has provided funding to numerous organizations in search of grants during these tough economic times. The hard reality is, even though we would truly love to fund each and every one of these worthy causes, limited resources force us each month to make some difficult decisions.
All of the members of the PTSSD understand just how hard many of you have struggled in an environment of stretched budgets and unfortunate cutbacks. We take our responsibility as representatives of the neighborhood very seriously. For this reason we are committed to being sensible, fair, and transparent when determining how to disburse these valuable but scarce funds. We will act as trusted custodians of these hard-earned community resources.
On this website, you will find a copy of our official PTSSD Grant Request Form. The Grant Request Form must be filled out entirely, with all applicable information for your organization included. All attachments, spreadsheets, budgets, quotes, articles, letters of recommendation, pictures, etc. should be included. Any information you believe would be beneficial to your cause, with as much detail as possible, will help the PTSSD to make an informed and correct decision regarding your request. The more detail you provide, and the more specific your “ask”, the better your chances of having the board recognize the merits of your project.
Given the limited amount of funds available, a smaller request is more likely to be considered favorably by the board. Also, the PTSSD is probably more likely to invest in a “specific one time project” or initiative with “long term community value” versus an undefined contribution to the “General Operating Fund” of any organization.
The PTSSD mission is not to become a permanent source of funding for any individual organization or group; therefore, funding received in any given year should not be seen as an indication that subsequent funding is assured. Of course, each request will be reviewed and evaluated on its individual merit; but these are just some thoughts regarding how the board views requests in general.
A maximum of three (3) requests will be heard by the board at each meeting. Organizations requesting support will be given 15 minutes to make their request presentation. An additional 5 minutes will be allowed for a brief question and answer session from the board.
The PTSSD will provide a computer and video projector for those who wish to present via PowerPoint. Pictures, drawings, sketches, estimates, renderings, budgets and any other information regarding your request are highly encouraged.
Consistent with our commitment to transparency, these meetings are open to the public. Once you have presented your request, the PTSSD board will determine the level of support, if any, and will contact each organization regarding the outcome, or if additional information is needed. Organizations not receiving support from the PTSSD should not be discouraged from requesting funding at a later date.
The PTSSD board is very excited about this unique opportunity to improve our neighborhoods and, if even in a small way, add to the quality of life for our families. We will continue to work with the management of the Sugar House Casino to address any community issues or concerns. We fully expect SugarHouse will continue to act as a trusted corporate citizen and neighbor.
Very respectfully,
The PTSSD Board
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