The
Neighborhood Grants Program
The
Neighborhood Grants Program exists to:
- Encourage
and support the work of neighborhood-based groups
and organizations trying to preserve and/or improve
the quality of life in their neighborhoods.
This complements Mayor Larry Morrissey's "Excellence
Everywhere" commitment to improving our community
- Promote
resident participation and leadership in neighborhood-based
groups/organizations
- Invest
in and build on the existing strengths and assets
of Rockford's neighborhoods
-
Promote civic pride in our community
Eligibility
To
be eligible for funding, an applicant must:
-
Be
a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, not-for-profit agency and/or
an organized group carrying out a charitable purpose
for the common good in an efficient manner
-
Have
a minimum of five identifiable active leaders (i.e.
President, Treasurer, Secretary, etc.)
-
Have
an established process to manage grant funds that
includes a current checking account in the name of
the organization/group
- Be
operated and organized in such a manner that no applicable
anti-discrimination laws are violated;
- Have
submitted the required final reports if you are a past
recipient of a grant
- Be a neighborhood that is located within Winnebago County
- Have the capacity to complete the proposed project by the end of the year
We
Look For
The
Neighborhood Grants Program of the Community Foundation
of Northern Illinois looks for projects that:
-
Encourage
partnerships between residents, businesses, non-profits
and institutions (i.e. schools) within the neighborhood
-
Are
generated and led by residents of the neighborhood
-
Build
on the assets existing in the neighborhood. The
project may address problem issues or situations, but
should also build on the strengths and capacities that
already exist in the neighborhood. This might
be utilizing specific skills of residents, involving
youth or working with an existing neighborhood group
-
Demonstrate
matching funds from other resources (i.e. businesses)
Examples
of Possible Projects:
| *Beautification
Projects |
*Reforesting
Neighborhoods |
Neighborhood
Signage |
| *Neighborhood
Clean-ups |
Crime
Prevention Activities |
*Neighborhood
Newsletters |
| Neighborhood
Organizing |
Youth/Family/Resident
Activities |
Home
ownership Seminar |
Neighborhood
Surveys |
|
|
*Beautification
Projects
- Permanent
fixtures (i.e. trash receptacles, planters) must
be installed on public property or common areas.
- Landscape
projects must be permanent improvements to the area
(i.e. shrubs, trees, perennials). Annuals
should be used for accent color.
- Landscape
projects must have a maintenance plan (i.e. watering,
weeding.)
*Neighborhood
Newsletter
- The
Foundation only provides seed money to start-up
a neighborhood newsletter.
*Reforesting
Neighborhoods
- Trees
can only be planted on public or common areas (not
on private property.)
*Neighborhood
Clean-ups
- We
do not fund garden tools. (Tools can be accessed
through the Neighborhood Tool Bank,
917 South Main
Street, 963-6236.)
Grant
Cycle
Deadline for submitting a Neighborhood Grant application
is January 1st. Those wishing to apply for a grant should use the link at the bottom of this page to access an online application. Groups and organizations will be notified
by the end of March. In general, grants range from a
minimum of $500 to a maximum of $2,500, but grants for
much smaller amounts are encouraged.
All
grant recipients are required to submit a final evaluation
report at the completion of the project no later than
December 30th. The report must address how grant funds
were used and project outcomes.
Exclusions
In
general, grants are not made from the Neighborhood Grants
program for the following:
Online
Application
Please Note: As the Community Foundation strives for complete accuracy in its grant programs, we reserve the right to update grant application forms 30 days before the deadline. Only applications started within 30 days of deadline will be accepted. While you may browse the online application at any time, you are reminded to check your calendar before you begin filling out any grant application.
To
start a new application, click New
Application.
To
access an application that you chose to save and finish
later, click Saved
Application.
Please Note: Your computer must use one of the following commonly used internet browsers and have cookies enabled in order to access the online application.
- Internet Explorer version 5.5 SP-2 or higher
- Netscape 6.2.2 or higher
- Netscape Communicator 4.76 or higher
- Internet Explorer 5.1.4 for Mac OS X
If
you have questions, please contact James Patterson, Program & Scholarship Officer at (815) 962-2110
ext 11 or jpatterson@cfnil.org.
|
|
