Allegany County: Grant Announcements and Service Suspensions
Why This Matters for NY-23
Allegany County residents deserve to know which federal grants their representative actually secured versus which would have arrived regardless. Head Start continuation funding flows automatically to programs meeting performance standards — Congress members play no role. ARC grants are state-administered competitive programs. Meanwhile, federally-funded social services in the county faced disruption from executive orders Langworthy supports. Understanding what’s genuine credit versus announcement allows constituents to evaluate representation accurately.
Statement
Source: Multiple Langworthy press releases and local news, 2024-2025
Langworthy has announced multiple federal grants for Allegany County, including Head Start funding, ARC sewer infrastructure grants, and Cornell Cooperative Extension funding. Meanwhile, a federally-funded social services provider in the county suspended operations due to a presidential executive order.
The Grants Langworthy Announced
$2.6 Million Head Start Grant
Langworthy’s announcement: Over $2.6 million in federal grants for Head Start projects in Allegany County.
The context:
- Head Start grants operate on a 5-year Designation Renewal System with annual continuation funding processed administratively through HHS
- Programs meeting performance standards receive automatic renewals without competition
- Congress members have no role in the Head Start grant award process
- This is routine continuation funding that would flow regardless of any congressional action
$560,000 ARC Sewer Infrastructure Grant
Langworthy’s announcement: $560,000 federal grant to improve sewer infrastructure in Allegany County.
The context:
- Appalachian Regional Commission grants are competitive but state-administered
- Applications begin at the state government level and undergo state-level review before ARC commission consideration
- Congress members play no formal role in selecting, nominating, or awarding individual ARC Area Development grants
- These are established federal-state partnership programs, not member-directed earmarks
$254,169 Cornell Cooperative Extension Grant
Langworthy’s announcement: $254,169 in federal funding for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Allegany County.
The context:
- This is a Community Project Funding (earmark) request — one of the few items where Langworthy’s office specifically directed appropriations funding
- Unlike the Head Start and ARC grants above, this is a case where congressional direction played a direct role
- This distinction is not made clear in Langworthy’s communications, where earmarks and formula grants are presented with identical framing
$2.5 Million in Combined Grants
Local coverage: The Olean Times Herald reported Langworthy announcing $2.5 million in combined grants for Allegany County, and WLEA covered additional grant announcements.
What Langworthy Can Claim vs. What He Announced
| Grant | Amount | Langworthy’s Role |
|---|---|---|
| Cornell Cooperative Extension | $254,169 | Earmark — legitimate credit |
| Head Start | ~$2.6M | HHS automatic continuation — announcement only |
| ARC Sewer Grant | $560,000 | State-administered competitive — announcement only |
Only the $254,169 CCE earmark represents funding Langworthy specifically directed. The other grants — totaling over $3 million — flow through established federal programs over which he exercised no documented influence.
ACCORD Service Suspension
While Langworthy was announcing federal grants, a significant federal policy action was impacting services in the same county.
ACCORD Corporation — a community action agency providing social services in Allegany County including anti-poverty programs, housing assistance, and workforce development — suspended services following a presidential executive order.
Per Allegany Hope reporting, the suspension disrupted direct services to vulnerable residents in one of NY-23’s poorest counties.
The Contrast
| Action | Impact |
|---|---|
| Langworthy announces federal grants | Positive press coverage |
| Federal executive order suspends ACCORD services | Service disruption for vulnerable residents |
| Langworthy’s public response to ACCORD suspension | Not documented |
Allegany County has one of the highest poverty rates in New York State. The suspension of a community action agency’s services while celebrating grant announcements highlights the disconnect between press-release governance and policy consequences on the ground.
Langworthy at the Allegany County Legislature
Local coverage from the Wellsville Sun documented Langworthy taking questions from the floor of the Allegany County Legislature. This represents one of the few documented instances of Langworthy engaging directly with local elected officials in a public setting — a contrast with his documented absence from public town halls.
Questions This Raises
Of the ~$3.4 million in grants Langworthy announced for Allegany County, what specific actions — beyond issuing press releases — did his office take?
When ACCORD suspended services due to a federal executive order, did Langworthy’s office intervene on behalf of affected Allegany County residents?
Why is the $254,169 earmark (which he legitimately directed) presented with the same framing as the $2.6M Head Start continuation grant (which is automatic)?
In one of New York’s poorest counties, how do grant announcements weigh against the suspension of direct anti-poverty services?
Will Langworthy’s appearance at the Allegany County Legislature become a regular practice, or was it an isolated event?
Assessment
Allegany County illustrates the broader credit-claiming pattern identified across NY-23. Of the grants announced, only the $254,169 Cornell Cooperative Extension earmark represents funding Langworthy specifically directed. The larger amounts — Head Start, ARC — flow through established federal programs with no congressional role in the award process.
The simultaneous ACCORD service suspension adds a dimension absent from Langworthy’s public messaging: federal policy actions he supports (or does not oppose) are directly impacting service delivery in the same communities where he claims credit for federal dollars.
Verdict: MISSING CONTEXT — Grant announcements are accurate but lack attribution clarity. ACCORD service disruption adds unreported policy impact.
Sources
- The Wellsville Sun: “Congressman Langworthy Announces $560,000 Federal Grant to Improve Sewer Infrastructure in Allegany County”
- The Wellsville Sun: “Congressman Nick Langworthy Announces Over $2.6 Million Grant for Head Start Projects in Allegany County”
- The Wellsville Sun: “Congressman Langworthy Announces $254,169 in Federal Funding for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Allegany County”
- The Wellsville Sun: “Langworthy takes questions from the floor of Allegany County Legislature”
- Olean Times Herald: “Langworthy announces $2.5M in grants for Allegany County”
- WLEA News: “Langworthy: Getting A Grant For Allegany County”
- Allegany Hope: “ACCORD suspends Allegany County services following Presidential executive order”
- HHS: Head Start Designation Renewal System documentation
- ARC: Area Development Grant application process
- Related: Infrastructure: Earmarks vs. Formula Grants
- Related: Steuben County: Ten Federal Funding Claims Examined
Note: This entry documents publicly available information from news organizations, federal agency records, and county government sources. Readers may draw their own conclusions.
Last updated: February 8, 2026