NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania (NeighborWorks) has partnered with the City of Scranton, the City of Carbondale and the City of Pittston to announce the awarding of funds to participating block groups in the 2025 Beautiful Blocks program cycle.
NeighborWorks awarded a record number of home improvement grants this year: 157 properties in Scranton, 73 properties in Carbondale and 58 properties in Pittston. NeighborWorks staff and local officials expect to see a significant positive impact in neighborhoods where projects are set to take place.
Beautiful Blocks is a home improvement program that provides matching grants of up to $1,000 per property to groups of residents to help them make exterior improvements to their homes. 2025 represents the second consecutive year of the Beautiful Blocks program in the City of Pittston, as well as the seventh consecutive program cycle in the City of Scranton and the fifth consecutive cycle in the City of Carbondale.
Members of selected groups have until November 3 to complete their individual exterior home improvement projects, with all participating properties eligible for up to $1,000 in matching grant funding. Participating properties that are completing replacement or significant repair of the front sidewalks on their property are eligible for an additional $1,000 in grant funding for a maximum of $2,000 in total funding per property. This enhanced grant award is available in all three participating cities this year, following the implementation of a similar incentive in the City of Scranton during the 2024 program cycle.
For the 2025 cycle, NeighborWorks anticipates awarding $182,000 to projects in Scranton, $86,000 for projects in Carbondale and $63,000 for projects in Pittston. Participating properties are organized into 18 block groups in Scranton, nine block groups in Carbondale and six block groups in Pittston.
“Beautiful Blocks continues to be a powerful catalyst for community transformation, bringing residents together to enhance their neighborhoods,” NeighborWorks President & CEO Shane Powers said of this year’s awards. “This year, we partnered on a record number of projects across three communities: Scranton, Carbondale and Pittston. We successfully launched the program in Pittston last year and received enthusiastic support from residents in our second year. We deeply appreciate the support from our funding partners who make this growth possible and look forward to fostering even more physical improvements to homes and stronger connections between neighbors in all three communities.”
"NeighborWorks' Beautiful Blocks program continues to show the powerful impact we can have when we work together toward common goals in Scranton,” Scranton Mayor Paige G. Cognetti said of the program. “We appreciate their partnership and the enthusiasm of our residents who are receiving help to beautify their neighborhoods."
Beautiful Blocks in Scranton is made possible with financial support from the City of Scranton, the Regional Foundation, Coterra Energy, Big Sandy Gas Company, GasSearch Drilling Services (GDS), Susquehanna Real Estate and F.N.B. Corporation.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to see our residents stepping up, working together and investing in their homes and neighborhoods,” Carbondale Mayor Michele Bannon said of this year’s Beautiful Blocks cycle. “The team efforts are not just improving properties—they’re strengthening the heart of our community and setting an inspiring example. NeighborWorks understands the power of working together to fulfill the goal of a Thriving, United, Safe, Joyful Carbondale.”
Beautiful Blocks in Carbondale is made possible with financial support from Gentex, Honesdale National Bank, M&T Bank, Community Bank NA, PS Bank, Wayne Bank, NBT Bank and The Dime Bank.
“I am extremely excited to be able to again partner with NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania and offer our residents the opportunity to benefit from the Beautiful Blocks Program,” Pittston Mayor Michael A. Lombardo said of the second program cycle in his city. “This year the program has expanded, providing more opportunities for home upgrades.”
Beautiful Blocks in Pittston is made possible with financial support from Coterra Energy, Big Sandy Gas Company, Susquehanna Real Estate, GasSearch Drilling Services and Peoples Security Bank & Trust.
Entering the 2025 program cycle, residents in Scranton, Carbondale and Pittston have received more than $834,000 in grant funding to assist in completing Beautiful Blocks projects. A total of 734 exterior improvement projects have been completed by participating residents, with a total of 104 block groups participating in the program. These residents have matched their grant awards with more than $1.5 million of their own funds.
Residents of Scranton, Carbondale and Pittston who are interested in participating in future cycles of the Beautiful Blocks program are encouraged to access more information by visiting the program homepage at https://www.nwnepa.org/programs/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.
