Grants for Small Neighborhood Projects
Each year, the Tacoma City Council allocates approximately $160,000 of federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and other funds for an Innovative Grant Program. These funds are equally divided between the eight Neighborhood Councils, making $20,000 available for each of them to participate in the program. Neighborhood Councils do not have to allocate their funds immediately, and can carry them over to the next year.
The grants of up to $7,500 provide funds for small projects requested by neighborhood organizations or by two or more residents. Almost all of the past funded projects have been performed entirely by Tacoma City departments, primarily the Public Works Department (though one $4,000 brush removal project was performed by a herd of goats!).
Past years' grants primarily focused on street and sidewalk projects (streetscape, lighting, traffic calming), beautification projects (removal of blighted conditions, plantings, signage), and special needs projects (handicap access, security lighting) in residential areas. To see descriptions of the actual projects approved by Neighborhood Councils and the City Council for funding under this program since 2005, click here (a 37-page PDF file). To see the actual grant applications for the 28 projects that were funded in 2010, click here. (a 4-page PDF with links to 28 other PDF files).
No single grant award can exceed $7,500, but some larger projects can be approved as separate phases (e.g., 2009 Barrier Free West End Project, Phases I, II, and II, each for $7,500). Each project requires a ten percent (10%) match by the applicant or other supporters, but the match can be the volunteer time spent on anything relating to the project, including preparing the grant application.
Applicants should enlist support for their project from neighborhood residents. Applicants must get approval from the City's Public Works Department or other City agency if it will be doing the project or will be impacted by it.
Informative workshops for potential grant applicants are being held April 4 and 12, 2012. Click here for more information. The deadline for submitting applications is 5pm on April 27, 2012.
Click here to view or download a PDF of the information packet and application. Applications are also available for pick up between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market St., 9th floor.
About Us