Arlington bringing back neighborhood grant program

A mothballed city grant program designed to build pride in neighborhoods is making a comeback.

The Neighborhood Matching Grant program, founded in February 2007 with a $500,000 budget, is reopening in what city officials call a more effective and efficient format that will make bigger grants to encourage better projects.

Staff officials gave an update on the project Tuesday afternoon at the City Council’s work session.

The matching-grant program awarded $293,000 for 61 projects before it was put on hold in spring 2012, according to a staff report.

Jim Parajon, deputy city manager for economic development, said the program was in need of an overhaul.

“What we’re trying to do is bring back the project with some adjustments — how it is administered — and make it more flexible so neighborhoods can take advantage,” he said.

Parajon said the approved grant projects included neighborhood identification signage, help for neighborhoods seeking nonprofit status, sidewalks and trails. Grants were also awarded to projects at two schools.

He said the grants dovetail with the council’s Strong Neighborhoods initiative, which also assists with land use and other issues.

“The program benefits the city of Arlington by making neighborhoods more attractive, raising the level of community pride, increasing civic participation by residents,” according to the staff report. The program also seeks to encourage collaboration among “neighbors, neighborhoods and city government.”

Under a new funding structure, the maximum award has been raised to $50,000 from $10,000 for neighborhoods that have council-adopted plans.

A neighborhood that is registered as a nonprofit with the Internal Revenue Service or has a fiscal agent is eligible for a matching grant of up to $15,000. The lowest qualifying level, for up to $3,000, requires that an applicant at least be a registered neighborhood group and have a bank account in its name.

The program will have at its disposal about $218,000 remaining in the old program’s account. When that cache runs dry, Parajon said, the council will discuss whether to continue funding the program.

Neighborhoods can apply for funds in January. A review committee will rate the proposed projects, and the City Council makes the final decisions by March 31. The staff expects contracts to be signed and training concluded by April 29, roughly when the grant money will be doled out.

The revamped program makes the application process simpler, including adding a meeting with staff, said Alicia Winkelblech, acting assistant director of community development and planning.

“In that meeting, the staff can help explain the process to the neighborhood and make it easier for them to apply,” she said. “It’s a great way to reach out to our neighborhoods and help engage them.”

This story was originally published October 13, 2015 at 5:51 PM with the headline "Arlington bringing back neighborhood grant program."