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Neighborhood Funding Stream
Community Trust Boards

How the Empowerment Zone is Governed
Empowerment Zone Membership
Apply for Membership
Meeting Times and Locations

How the Empowerment Zone is Governed

The Philadelphia Empowerment Zone (EZ) utilizes a community-driven governance structure, guided by the belief that successful neighborhood revitalization depends on a strong working partnership among residents, community organizations, local businesses and government. From the outset, the Empowerment Zone has been committed to the principle that residents must be involved in the decisions made around funding allocation and project design. Unlike many urban renewal programs, the EZ seeks to create sustainable change, not only by providing resources, but also by building the capacity of targeted communities to make decisions about resource use.

A Community Trust Board (CTB) governs each of the three EZ neighborhoods. The boards are comprised of ten community representatives who live or work in the EZ. The five other members are representatives who bring other forms of expertise to the CTB. Appointment to the CTB is also designed to achieve the objectives of geographic diversity among the census tracts that comprise the EZ neighborhood, continuity of leadership while providing opportunities for new community leadership, and expertise to support EZ projects.

The CTB identifies neighborhood assets, resources and opportunities and develops neighborhood funding strategies and priorities. for Neighborhood Funding Stream grants.

Apply for Membership

The Empowerment Zone is always seeking new membership for its Community Trust Boards. If you work or live in one of the three Zones, or believe you could bring other expertise to the mission of the EZ, please call 215-564-9470 to request an application; or click the link below and print.

Download the
Community Trust Board Application
Click here to apply now!

Community Trust Board Membership

American Street
Meets every 4th Wednesday, 5:45 PM at the Project Rainbow/Drueding Center (address below).

Board Chair: Maria Gonzalez, Vice President, HACE
Anne Marie Collins, Executive Director Drueding Center / Project Rainbow
Tom Forkin, business development and legal consultant
David Gleason, Co-founder, Crane Arts, LLC, and community resident
Francisco Martinez, local entrepreneur and community resident
Nimidia Oviedo, MD, physician, Kensington Hospital
Stanley Robinson, Jr., Financial Analyst, ING Financial Partners

North Central Philadelphia
Meets every 2nd Thursday, 6:00 PM at the Philadelphia OIC (address below).

Board Chair: Robert Nelson, President, Philadelphia O.I.C.
Rev. Claude Ashe, Senior Pastor, Faith Tabernacle Church
Carolyn Brown, Housing and Economic Development consultant
Mark Lumpkin, Community resident
Kay Ray, Staff Development & Training Manager, Behavioral Health Special Initiative, PMHCC
Kevin Valentine, Esquire, Valco Consulting Group Ltd.

West Philadelphia
Meeting dates TBD.

Board Chair: Kenneth Woodson, Senior Vice President, Philadelphia Zoo
Jim Anthony, Community resident
Jim Baker, President, Baker & Company, LLC
J. Holland Brown, Executive Director, Carroll Park Community Council
Mark Harris, Secretary & Community Liaison, Cathedral Park Association, and Community Resident
Lucinda Hudson, President, Parkside Association, and Community resident
Roman McDonald, President, First Genesis Financial Institution
Bishop Benjamin Peterson, Senior Pastor, Greater Bible Way Temple
Geraldine Poaches, Community resident
Ka'Li Ra, Director, Rays of Hope Youth Program
Richard Redding, Director, Philadelphia Planning Commission
Linda Savage, Community resident