Neighborhood organizations have a slim window of time – until Feb. 14 – to apply to the City of Covington’s Neighborhood Grant Program for help funding small projects.
Some neighborhoods are on top of the application process, but the program’s administrator, Shannon Ratterman, said she’s hoping for more applications.
“I’ve been in conversation with several neighborhoods who are coming up with great ideas around adding public art, updating neighborhood banners, and trying to slow speeding cars,” said Ratterman, Strategic Initiatives Director at The Center for Great Neighborhoods. “But there are still a few neighborhoods where no one has reached out to take advantage of this opportunity. I’d love to hear from neighbors in Botany Hills, Eastside, and South Covington who have an idea and want to talk through how to make it happen.”
With $54,000 on the table for projects, neighborhoods are encouraged to come up with creative – or practical – ways to spruce up their surroundings.
Since the City created the grant program in 2018, funds have been used for projects like perennial flowers in Peaselburg. … Little Libraries and pedestrian signs in Monte Casino. … a pizza box recycling receptacle program in MainStrasse Village. … lamp posts, plants, and bench repairs in Wallace Woods … and a tree planting in Austinburg.
“This is all about neighbors working together to enhance their neighborhood and their quality of life,” said Brandon Holmes, Covington’s Neighborhood Services director. “The impact of the grant program can be seen throughout Covington.”
Program guidelines and an application form can be found HERE.
The process:
Step One: Work with your neighbors to develop an idea, project, activity, or event that improves the physical environment or the quality of life in your community.
Step Two: Schedule a meeting or call Shannon Ratterman with The Center to discuss your proposal. This allows for a general vetting of the details of your project or activity and is a time to address any concerns prior to the application submission.
Step Three: Complete your application and submit it by Feb. 14.
Step Four: A committee will review and evaluate submissions based on the program’s scoring criteria and recommend grant recipients to the Covington Board of Commissioners for approval.
Step Five: Staff from the City and The Center will work with the winning applicants to coordinate the necessary items, including execution of the grant agreement and access to the funding as quickly as possible.
About the program
The Neighborhood Grant Program is a competitively awarded program. Keep in mind that projects must:
· Be initiated by residents who live in a neighborhood and are part of either a formal association or an informal group.
· Enhance the quality of life in the neighborhood through physical improvements or special activities.
· Be feasible to implement in a timely manner. The project must be completed by June 30, 2022.
· Have demonstrated neighborhood support, including a commitment of community contribution of either money or volunteer labor or donated materials.
· Have a neighborhood-wide benefit or general benefit to the area.
Projects may include events, but the event budget should be less than $2,000 and the non-event portion of the budget 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.
