Title
2015 NEIGHBORHOOD PARK GRANT PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS
COUNCIL STRATEGIC INITIATIVE ADDRESSED: Address quality of place issues
CITY ATTORNEY REVIEW: N/A
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
The Neighborhood Park Grant Program is a capital program (budgeted in the capital projects fund) initiated by the city council as a means of giving community groups the opportunity to improve and invest in their parks, and enables the city to stretch its capital funds. Annually since 1997, the parks and recreation board has evaluated applications from neighborhood and community groups, sports organizations, service clubs, and occasionally individuals. The board’s recommendations are then presented to the council for final approval.
The $25,000 that the council historically budgeted each year for the NPG Program has been used to fund a wide variety of projects. (See the attached list of past sponsors and their projects.) Along with whatever city funds are approved, project applicants are required to fully fund and complete the project and then submit for reimbursement 50% of the project. Funding of projects by groups, organizations, and individuals have included in kind donations of labor and materials, cash, and volunteer hours; when the project is complete they will have covered at least a 1:1 ratio, and sometimes much more.
The NPG Program is normally quite competitive, receiving more requests for funding than available. Project applications are evaluated on the basis of community need, community impact (who will benefit from the project), extent of facility usage or available throughout the year, project life span, cost-benefit, future maintenance requirements, readiness to proceed, partnering, enhancement of safety and security, and other factors.
Last February the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board solicited project proposals for the 2015 NPG Program. Four applications were submitted and recommended to council for funding. The projects totaled $18,826, worth a total of at le...
Click here for full text