Deadline: 14-Feb-22
The Neighborhood Grant Program is a competitively awarded program administered by the City of Covington. The goal of this program is to provide flexible funding, using a simple application process, to resident-led neighborhood or community groups (either formal or informal) in order to improve the physical appearance of their communities and enhance the sense of social cohesion through beautification projects, blight removal, special events and activities.
Funding Information
- The City has allocated approximately $54,000 for this fiscal year. The program is administered as part of the Neighborhood Services Department.
- Grants requests can be made for up to $10,000.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants to the program may be an existing Covington resident-led association, a group of individuals who are currently organizing a community association, or an informal group of neighbors, as long as the application meets the City’s objectives and the application proves that there is broad support for the project.
- All applicants are strongly encouraged to seek opportunities to collaborate with an existing neighborhood association if one exists in the neighborhood where the project will take place.
- The City will prioritize spreading funding out across as many neighborhoods as possible, so it is to your advantage to collaborate and consolidate applications where possible.
- Individuals, businesses, social services agencies, fraternal or religious organizations, schools and public agencies are not eligible to apply.
- Organizations that are eligible, however, may collaborate with these groups to implement the project.
Criteria
- Projects must be neighborhood focused and initiated by residents living in the neighborhood.
- Projects must enhance the quality of life in the neighborhood through visible physical improvements or special neighborhood activities.
- Projects must be sustainable (as applicable) and have demonstrated neighborhood support including a community contribution whether financial or in-kind (volunteer labor, material, etc.)
- Projects must have a neighborhood-wide benefit or general benefit to the area.
- Projects may include events, but the event portion of the budget should be less than $2,000. The total project budget may be higher, but the additional funds must be dedicated to improvements that are more permanent. Events must be open to and benefit everyone in a community and should be unique and reflective of the neighborhood. Examples of making an event unique and reflective of the neighborhood include incorporating elements of art, culture, community engagement, music, etc. that demonstrate a neighborhood connection. These events are more likely to be selected for funding when happening in a neighborhood where such events are not already regularly occurring. Funding may not be used to support regularly occurring annual events.
- Projects must be executed before the deadline or funds will be returned to the City.
- If multiple grant applications are received from one neighborhood, the City may extend the option to combine them into a larger proposal as applicable.
- Preference will be given to neighborhoods or areas of the City that have not previously received funding.
Selection Criteria
Applications for funding will be evaluated using the following criteria:
- Feasibility- Applicants must demonstrate that the proposed project is feasible and that they have capacity to successfully execute it within the timeline of the grant.
- Impact- Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed project benefits their community. Preference will be given to those projects with the greatest impact.
- Need- Applicants should justify the reasonableness of the funding amount requested as well as the need for those funds.
- Support- Applicants must demonstrate broad community support for the proposed project. This can include a neighborhood association resolution, signed letters of support from community members, etc.
- Leverage- Applicants should demonstrate any leveraged benefit. This can be other financial contributions, in-kind donations or volunteer hours.
- Inclusion- Applicants should describe how the project will be inclusive reflecting the demographic characteristics of the neighborhood.
- Sustainability- Applicants should demonstrate, as applicable, how the project or activity will have lasting impact and be sustained by the community.
- COVID-19 Response- Applicants must demonstrate adherence to the most recent guidelines and orders released by the office of the Governor.
For more information, visit https://www.covingtonky.gov/news/2021/12/02/–on-the-table-for-neighborhood-projects