Berkeley Awarded $130K Clean Communities Grant

BERKELEY, NJ — Berkeley was awarded a Clean Communities grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection worth $130,528.

The township will use part of the grant to offset salaries of employees that clean and maintain parks and beaches along with the funding of mini-grants to local nonprofit civic and community groups that participate in the "Adopt a Spot" or "Adopt a Road" program.

The grant will also help fund equipment for cleanups, education and enforcement of litter laws.

"I would like to once again thank the State for their commitment in funding this vital grant program," Mayor Carmen Amato said. "The $130,528 Department of Environmental Protection Clean Communities Grant award is good news for Berkeley taxpayers and local nonprofit, civic and community groups."

Any nonprofit civic or community group in the township that signs up to participate in the "Adopt a Spot" or "Adopt a Road" project can receive a $500 mini-grant for their organization.

Berkeley made changes to the "Adopt a Spot" and "Adopt a Road" program in 2018. Cleanup locations must be pre-approved through an application process and organizations will be limited to apply for a maximum of two mini-grants and must be at two separate locations.

The changes were implemented to accommodate as many local groups and locations as possible and to ensure funds are available for all of the groups. Groups can reapply if the township has leftover funding.

Nonprofit organizations in Berkeley that want to participate in the program should call public works at 732-341-1022.

"It's a win-win situation for our township. Nonprofit community groups take advantage of the funding and the township benefits that we are able to get areas of our town cleaned up,” Amato said.

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