House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole announced that the House Committee on Appropriations will be accepting Community Project Funding (CPF) requests from Members. This is in addition to the standard programmatic and language-based requests. Each Member is limited to no more than 15 Community Project Funding requests across all subcommittees for Fiscal Year 2025 and there is no guarantee that all requested projects will be funded. The FY2025 CPF process has a limited scope with eligible accounts restricted to those listed in the table below.
Please note:
- Congresswoman Plaskett will NOT accept CPF requests for projects outside of VI-00.
- All projects must meet the relevant statutory and administrative criteria for funding through the grant program under which it is submitted.
- A request submitted to Congresswoman Plaskett does NOT guarantee the project will be selected.
- The selection of a project does NOT guarantee it will be funded by the Appropriations Committee.
- The Committee will NOT provide cost-share waivers and grantees are legally responsible for meeting the non-federal cost share requirements and all other applicable grant criteria.
More information on the process can be found on the House Appropriations Committee’s page and the eligible accounts are listed here. Staff may follow up for additional information to support the CPF request such as budget justification, documentation of community support and need, or proof of ability to meet match requirements once an initial request is submitted. If you have any questions about Congresswoman Plaskett’s project submission process, please reach out to Paige.Clarke@mail.house.gov.
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Agriculture, Rural Development / Department of Agriculture, Rural Development / Rural Housing Service, Community Facilities Grants
Project Name: St. Clair House Revitalization
Project Location: 9150 Estate Thomas, Suite 210, St. Thomas, VI 00802
Project Recipient: St. Clair Institute, Inc. (non-profit)
Recipient Address: 9150 Estate Thomas, Suite 210, St. Thomas, VI 00802
Amount Requested: $919,300
Project Description and Explanation: The requested funding would be used to refurbish and renovate the St. Clair House, located in downtown St. Thomas, to improve community access to essential healthcare, including mental health and substance abuse recovery, as well as provide spaces for community engagement. This renovation will provide vital resources to the community by establishing spaces for qualified professionals to provide individual and group counseling and therapy; create restroom facilities, a wellness room, and staff offices; and provide a space for widespread community engagement in educational opportunities, vocational training, and career development. This project is a sound use of taxpayer funding because it will support the restoration of a historic building to allow for the provision of care, thereby improving public health and safety.
Signed Disclosure Letter
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Agriculture, Rural Development / Department of Agriculture, Rural Development / Rural Housing Service, Community Facilities Grants
Project Name: St. Thomas Abattoir Renovation
Project Location: Estate Nadir, Bovoni Road, St. Thomas, VI 00802
Project Recipient: Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture
Recipient Address: 1 Estate Lower Love, Kingshill, St. Croix, VI 00851
Amount Requested: $1,100,000
Project Description and Explanation: The requested funding would be used by the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture to renovate its abattoir facility on St. Thomas and restore its full operational use for the benefit of farmers and the general community. At present, it is not functional due to structural deficiencies that present health and safety hazards. This funding is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will restore the abattoir by enhancing the structural integrity of the building and upgrading the refrigeration equipment to provide a sanitary, safe facility for livestock related commerce.
Signed Disclosure Letter
Subcommittee/Agency/Account: Agriculture, Rural Development / Department of Agriculture, Rural Development / Rural Utilities Service, Rural Water and Waste Disposal Grants
Project Name: Bordeaux Farmers' Water Resilience
Project Location: 6513 Estate Fortuna, St. Thomas, VI 00802
Project Recipient: We Grow Food, Inc. (non-profit)
Recipient Address: 6513 Estate Fortuna, St. Thomas, VI 00802
Amount Requested: $1,875,000
Project Description and Explanation: The requested funding would be used by the non-profit We Grow Food, Inc. to retrofit the Bordeaux Farming community’s water storage with a desalination system and water filtration systems to ensure farmers can access uncontaminated, safe water. This funding is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it will provide water resources necessary for the success of farmers and businesses. This project would fulfill the needs of farms and businesses whose economic success depends upon water access and provide a consistent water source for economically disadvantaged farmers who depend on water to maintain farmland.
Signed Disclosure Letter
