In December 1994, the U.S Department of Housing and Urban (HUD) awarded a $100 million dollar grant and federal designation to three neighborhoods in Philadelphia and six neighborhoods in Camden as a result of a large scale culmination of neighborhood planning. Officially known as the Philadelphia-Camden Bi-State Empowerment Zone (EZ), Camden’s EZ boundaries included strategic objectives for the Central Business District, Central Waterfront, Cooper Point, Cooper Grant, Lanning Square and Gateway neighborhoods.

In 1996, the Camden Empowerment Zone Corporation (CEZC), a New Jersey non-profit corporation, was selected by the City of Camden and State of New Jersey to manage the $20.8 million dollar grant award and the implementation of the Camden Empowerment Zone Strategic Plan for the designated EZ neighborhoods.

Since, its inception, CEZC has awarded numerous grants and loans to various Camden based non-profit and for-profit organizations to aid the redevelopment of the designated EZ census tracks and economic empowerment of Camden’s residents and businesses. To date, CEZC’s awarded funding has attracted over $100 million of additional resources and financial leveraging for Camden City’s residents and businesses.