Hazleton, community college receive $1 million grant for downtown nursing expansion

The City of Hazleton and Luzerne County Community College have been awarded $1 million for expanded nursing and other educational programming in downtown Hazleton, according to a Pennsylvania announcement issued July 17, 2026.

The award is part of $6.85 million in economic-development grants for projects in the Hazleton area and northern Schuylkill County. State Sen. David Argall and Rep. Dane Watro announced the grant package.

What the Hazleton grant will support

The $1 million award names both the City of Hazleton and Luzerne County Community College as recipients. Its stated purpose is to expand the college’s nursing program and additional educational programming in downtown Hazleton.

That makes the project both an education investment and a downtown development initiative. Expanded local nursing education could give residents more access to training in the community and help strengthen the area’s health-care workforce. Additional college programming could also bring more educational activity to the downtown area.

The grant announcement does not establish how many nursing seats, students or jobs the expansion will add. It also does not set a construction date or identify when the expanded programming will open.

Part of a broader regional package

The Hazleton award is one piece of the $6.85 million regional total. The grants cover projects in the Hazleton area and northern Schuylkill County, with state officials describing the investments as economic-development projects moving from plans toward reality.

For Hazleton, the specific project centers on the college’s nursing program and other educational offerings rather than a city-only initiative. The college’s participation is significant because the grant is tied to programming it would provide, while the city is also identified as a recipient.

The announcement marks the funding decision, not the launch of an operating program. The next steps will involve planning and implementation by the city and the college. No opening or construction deadline was included in the July 17 announcement.

City records

Hazleton’s official council page lists current 2026 council minutes and agendas, including meetings held June 9, May 26 and April 28. Those records provide a continuing public record of city government activity as officials work through matters related to the city.

The $1 million award gives Hazleton and Luzerne County Community College a defined state-funded project focused on nursing education and downtown programming. Its eventual effect on enrollment, employment and the number of available training positions will depend on how the expansion is implemented.