Establish 'Promise Neighborhoods' for areas of concentrated poverty

Administration working to build 'Promise Neighborhood' program

Updated: Thursday, December 10th, 2009 | By Louis Jacobson

During the presidential campaign, Barack Obama promised to "create 20 Promise Neighborhoods in cities that have high levels of poverty and crime and low levels of student academic achievement. The Promise Neighborhoods will model the Harlem Children's Zone and seek to engage all resident children and their parents in an achievement program based on tangible goals, including college for every participating student, strong physical and mental health outcomes for children as well as retention of meaningful employment and parenting schools for parents. Cities and private entities will be required to pay 50 percent of the program costs."

The president's fiscal year 2010 budget request sought $10 million for Promise Neighborhoods. The administration said the program would "provide competitive, one-year planning grants to nonprofit, community-based organizations to support the development of plans for comprehensive neighborhood programs. ... Grantees that develop promising plans and partnerships would be eligible to receive implementation grants the following year."

The appropriations bill to fund the Education Department is not yet finalized, so we cannot say yet if Promise Neighborhoods will end up getting the $10 million the administration is seeking. But its inclusion in the budget request earns this promise an In the Works.

Sources: Education Department, " Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Summary ," May 7, 2009

THOMAS, " Status of Appropriations Legislation for Fiscal Year 2010 ," accessed Dec. 10, 2009

Harlem Children's Zone, About us Web page , accessed Dec. 10, 2009