By Sunayana Prabhu
EATONTOWN – Borough officials awarded more than $800,000 in first-round grants from the $5 million Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) negotiated with Netflix. The funds will directly benefit schools, nonprofits, youth programs and borough capital projects, officials said.
The funding agreement stems from Netflix’s planned redevelopment of nearly 300 acres of the former Fort Monmouth property spanning parts of Oceanport and Eatontown. The global film production company is building 12 sound stages and related facilities in phases. The second soundstage is already under construction in the Oceanport section of the site.
Eatontown Mayor Anthony Talerico Jr. said the first-round CBA funding from Netflix reflects broad public input and a deliberate selection process. The borough advertised on social media, at public council meetings and through word-of-mouth within the community. Borough officials also held two public open houses to solicit ideas.
“Groups requesting funds submit a written request, which is reviewed by the committee,” Talerico explained in an email.
“The ones we selected represent a cross-section of the community. You will note the awards vary in size because the requests we received varied. This allowed us to address many different types of needs,” he said.
With more than $4 million remaining in the CBA, additional funding rounds are expected as the borough continues to align community needs with economic opportunities from the growing film production hub. At the meeting, Talerico said he wants the CBA committee and the borough’s Economic Development Committee to appear before the council in May or June to discuss proposed industrial zoning changes and the broader economic impact of the Netflix project.
The first-round awards, announced at the April 8 borough council meeting, total $811,250 and span a wide range of uses. Civic and service organizations are among the largest recipients.
• The Eatontown Elks will receive $25,000 to repair and renovate its parking lot and front porch.
• The Knights of Columbus will receive $3,500 to support the “Send A Hero Home For The Holidays” program and a high school chess tournament, plus an additional $600 to fund a barbecue with the Youth Committee and community members with intellectual disabilities.
• The Eatontown Lions Club will receive $115,000 over three years to support youth and education programs, sustain the Food Co-Op, fund an annual holiday party for displaced families and upgrade equipment such as a storage shed, trailer and vision-screening tools.
• Boy Scout Troop 49 will receive $2,200 to help offset the cost of summer camp, while Cub Scout Pack 52 and G Troop 49 will receive $5,500 for a storage shed and to help cover camping costs.
• Eatontown baseball/softball will receive $20,000 for new equipment, repairs to the batting cage, and upgrades to the snack shack.
• A $600 grant to the Community Garden will pay for plants whose produce will be donated to the Food Co-Op.
District schools are set to benefit significantly from the CBA funds:
• The Eatontown Schools PTA will receive $20,000 to support staff-led grants across the district.
• Eatontown public schools will receive $51,000 to support visual and performing arts programs, physical education and health activities outside school hours, as well as STEM clubs, tutoring and career programs.
• A second Eatontown public schools request for $30,000 will fund implementation of a three-year, STEM-based Maplewood Shop woodworking program for students in grades 4 to 8.
• Monmouth Regional High School will receive $25,000 to purchase wireless microphones and speakers for its Performing Arts Center, along with a separate $500 award to buy shelving and display cases for “Monmouth’s Closet,” which provides high-quality clothing at no cost for students in financial need.
Several borough-led projects and infrastructure upgrades are being funded in this first round:
• The borough will use $65,900 to create an Arboretum Management Plan with arborists at Colliers Engineering. The program will create a tree inventory, maintenance and care plans, and support future grant funding opportunities.
• The borough administrator has received $20,000 for a new borough webpage. An additional $200,000 is set aside for IT infrastructure and program upgrades to improve operational efficiency.
• There is $42,000 earmarked to demolish an aging building at the Department of Public Works Lewis Street site that has become a safety concern and to create space for an OEM storage structure to house emergency equipment indoors.
• The Eatontown Recreation Trust Fund will receive $100,000 to expand recreation offerings, including new STEM programming for youth.
Health, social services, and faith-based initiatives are also included in the first-round awards:
• Pinwheel House will receive $5,000 to create an on-site baby pantry.
• Integrated Care Concepts will receive $12,500 for a pilot mental-health services program for Eatontown residents.
• The Erica Lenore Butterfly Memorial Foundation will receive $15,000 to advance STEM education and cardiac health initiatives in Eatontown and the surrounding area.
• Mt. Zion AME Zion Church will use a $33,000 grant to install a chair lift and repair stairs in the historic church so congregants with mobility issues can access the building.
• Senior Housing will receive $18,950 to purchase a new Bingo playing system for its community room.
Talerico noted that the committee expects more funding for education going forward. “We awarded the schools some funding now, but we expect to add more in the future as we continue to partner with the local and high school Board(s) of Education and discuss their ideas and needs,” he said.
“The Netflix construction in Oceanport is coming along and it is very impressive. Soon, we will see buildings rising in Eatontown. I remember when this project was just a sketch on paper. It is amazing to see it taking shape!” he said.
The borough also amended its Film Ready ordinance relating to specific permit fees, parking regulations, violations and penalties, among other details. The ordinance sets a framework to make the town more attractive as a filming destination by providing production companies with easier, faster access to local resources.
Dee Slattery, a resident and member of the borough’s Economic Development Advisory Board, told the council that Eatontown’s ability “to market itself as a film production city will empower our businesses,” noting that film crews “need places to eat, they need places to stay, they need gas. It’s a boost to the economy.”
Another resident, Brian Papworth, a former filmmaker, said “the amount of money that’s coming and the amount of opportunities that is coming is just astronomical.” He noted that the potential for job creation and workforce development in the area is “absolutely tremendous.”
The next council meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 13, at the borough hall.
The article originally appeared in the May 7 – 13, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
