City announces Neighborhood Challenge grants

The Department of Small Business Services and the city's Economic Development Corporation announced Monday the recipients of $500,000 in grant money meant to increase local commerce.
The city's Neighborhood Challenge Initiative invests in community organizations to create jobs and expand commercial neighborhoods.
Six community organizations received money this year, including two from the Bronx.
One of the recipients, the Women's Housing and Economic Development Corporation, will get $50,000 to help attract more retailers to Southern Boulevard.
The other Bronx recipient is the Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, which says it will use the money to revitalize the Soundview-Bronx River Parkway Underpass into a community gathering and event space.
Since 2012, the Neighborhood Challenge has doled out more than $1.7 million to organizations throughout the city.