Departments

Neighborhood Improvement Funds

Last Modified: October 10, 2011

Your neighborhood group may be eligible for up to $1,000 in Neighborhood Improvement Funds from the City of Raleigh for projects that enhance and strengthen your neighborhood.

The City provides this funding to encourage you to get involved in making your neighborhood better. The funds enable groups of neighbors to carry out projects that they have initiated and planned on their own.

New rules established in 2011 provide two levels of funding:

  • Level One provides up to $250 and does not require neighborhood groups to provide a matching amount.
  • Level Two provides $251 to $1,000 and requires the neighborhood group to match at least 50 percent of the costs of a project. Your neighborhood group may provide your match through a combination of volunteer labor and donations, including material, professional services, and cash.

Neighborhood Improvement Funds are administered by the Community Services Department. To learn more about the program or receive assistance in applying for Neighborhood Improvement Funds, please call Community Services at 996-6100.

Eligible Groups

Many types of neighborhood groups are eligible for Neighborhood Improvement Funds, such as:

  • Neighborhood associations
  • Homeowners associations
  • Community watch groups
  • Garden clubs

Level Two funding is available only to organizations on the City of Raleigh Neighborhood Registry. Level One funding is open to groups of individuals and families who want to work on a project together without forming an organization.

Types of Projects

Neighborhood Improvement Funds support projects designed by you and your neighbors for the betterment of your neighborhood. The City encourages you to draw on your individual, group, and community assets, skills, and talents. You are urged to develop proposals that make the most of resources and strengthen partnerships.

To be considered for funding, a project must help build a stronger and healthier community. Projects must:

  • Provide a public benefit and be free and open to all members of the community.
  • Emphasize self help, with ideas initiated, planned and implemented by the neighbors and community members who will be affected by the project.
  • Demonstrate community involvement or match.
  • Occur within the City of Raleigh or its extraterritorial jurisdiction.

These three types of projects are eligible for Neighborhood Improvement Funds:

  • Neighborhood organizing -- To create, diversify, or expand membership in a neighborhood group for the benefit of the entire neighborhood or community.

Examples: newsletters, outreach, Web pages

  • Physical improvement -- To physically improve a neighborhood or community.

Examples: Landscaping, signs, park and playground equipment.

  • Non-physical improvement -- To organize and hold events and activities.

Examples: Festival, celebration, training session, workshop, educational campaign.

Timeline

  • Applications must be submitted by June 1, 2012.
  • An application must be submitted at least six weeks prior to the start of the project.
  • The project must be complete within 12 months of funding.

Other Requirements

  • An organization may receive funding for one project per year, regardless of funding level.
  • An organization's chair, president, or organizing leader must sign a contract indicating that if Neighborhood Improvement Funds are misused, the funds will be repaid to the City of Raleigh or the group will forfeit its right to submit future funding requests.
  • An organization must submit a brief report to the Community Services Department on the project's success.

Funding Levels

Level One Level Two
  • Up to $250
  • No match required
  • $251 to $1,000
  • Community match required. (Neighborhoods in Conservation and Development Areas are eligible for funds covering up to 75 percent of a project's cost. Other neighborhoods are eligible for grants covering up to 50 percent of a project's cost.)
  • Open to neighborhood and grassroots community groups.
  • Groups that do not have a formal organization may apply.
 Open only to organizations on the City of Raleigh Neighborhood Registry or organizations that have a working partnership with a Citizens Advisory Council (CAC.)
  • Decision will be rendered within two weeks of receipt of funding request.
 Decision will be rendered within three weeks of receipt of funding request.
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