Nearly $18 million in Community Project Funding was secured by U.S. Rep. Grace Meng, which will fund 15 critical projects throughout Queens.
The projects are intended to improve public safety, education and the environment, as well as prepare the next generation for success.
The funds secured by Meng, New York’s senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, mark an increase of $5 million from the last round of community funding secured by the congresswoman.
According to a news release from Meng’s office, the funds were included in new government spending bills that financially support most of the federal government through the end of the 2026 fiscal year.
The measures were recently passed by the House and Senate and have now been enacted into law.
“In just the last few years, I have been proud to bring tens of millions of dollars back to Queens from Washington, and I’m thrilled to deliver millions more in this latest round of funding that I obtained for our borough,” Meng said. “I will always keep up the fight for the communities I represent to ensure Queens continues to grow and prosper, and that we receive the needed federal money we deserve.”
Meng secured a total of $17,994,000 for the following 15 projects:
- $3.15 million for Queensborough Community College to build a childcare center which will support students, faculty, staff and the community by providing access to high-quality childcare services.
- $2 Million for the New York City Fire Department’s Squad 288/HazMat 1 firehouse in Maspeth, which will fund crucial renovations such as replacing the facility’s apparatus floor and overhauling its electrical and mechanical systems.
- $2 Million for the FDNY’s Engine 305/Ladder 151 firehouse in Forest Hills to repair the interior and exterior of the building, as well as replace its heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.
- Over $1 Million for Guardians of Flushing Bay to develop a floating Coastal Resilience Hub that will serve as a floating classroom, micro field station and community meeting space. Activities are to include water quality testing, habitat monitoring, waterfront programs, educational tours and other initiatives.
- Over $1 Million for the New York Hall of Science in Corona to develop and implement a range of research and programs that engage kids and adults with NASA’s planned Artemis III launch to the moon, with a focus on the many scientists and engineers on Earth who contribute to making this mission possible.
- Over $1 Million for Queens College to expand its Tech Incubator, creating a collaborative ecosystem of strategic partnerships, advanced training facilities and community impact programs. The expanded Tech Incubator will serve as the central hub for technology and innovation in Queens.
- Over $1 Million for Queens College to provide technology, equipment and personnel for a new state-of-the-art cleanroom facility, serving as a critical hub for cutting-edge nanofabrication research. The facility will enhance the College’s capacity to conduct original research in micro- and nanotechnology.
- Over $1 Million for Queens College to create a Working Group for Digital Forensics that will focus on the study of data found on digital devices — computers, cell phones or stored on online servers — to support law enforcement agencies in New York City and other related entities where the security of data and the analyses of devices and storage spaces are of critical importance.
- Over $1 Million for the New York City Police Department to fund a Mobile Command Center in Queens that will support large scale events, emergency responses and operations at scenes for long periods of time.
- Over $1 Million for the NYPD’s Queens Explorer Program, an initiative geared toward teens and young adults ages 14 to 20, intended to strengthen ties between the community and police.
- Over $1 Million for NYPD license plate readers in Queens to help with locating stolen or wanted vehicles, as well as vehicles associated with AMBER alerts, Silver Alerts, missing persons reports, abductions reports and other criminal activities.
- Over $1 Million for public service information about using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to ensure individuals experiencing a mental health crisis receive the support they need.
- Over $1 Million for the King of Kings Foundation to fund crime prevention and community building strategies in Queens, intended to benefit youth, seniors and families.
- $300,000 for the Queens District Attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit to address wrongful convictions. The unit reinvestigates past convictions where there are credible claims of actual innocence or wrongful convictions.
- $225,000 for the Boys’ Club of New York to provide STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — programming in Queens. These include STEM Lab projects and workshops, robotics programs, web design/coding and 3D design classes.
