About the Glendale’s Neighborhood Grants Program

The Community Partnerships Department is proud to offer the Neighborhood Improvement Grants Program. Yes, that's right. Your neighborhood can apply for FREE grant money for revitalization, improvements and events!

There are three types of grants that your neighborhood can apply for: Large neighborhood grants, small grants, and neighborhood connection grants. After a neighborhood applies for a grant, all grant requests are heard by the Commission on Neighborhoods. For large grants, the commission makes recommendations to the City Council who then must approve them. For small grants and neighborhood connections grants, the commission can approve them after hearing the grant request.

Large Grants

The large grants program encourages residents of registered neighborhoods to discuss and plan improvement projects based on the needs or goals of the entire neighborhood. With two funding cycles per year in the Fall and Spring, the Neighborhood Improvement Grants Program can provide the resources to assist with the revitalization of neighborhoods. You can actively participate in the renewal of your own neighborhood and see the results of your efforts along with your neighbors.  The amount that can be applied for with a large grant is from $5,001 to $80,000.  A neighborhood can apply for a large grant twice a year (once during each cycle).

How to apply:
The application can be completed with the assistance of the Neighborhood Coordinator assigned to your area. If you do not know who your coordinator is, please call 623-930-2868 to find out.

The basic requirements for your neighborhood to apply for an improvement grant are:

• It must be at least 15 years old
• Have a minimum of at least 20 homes
• Is registered with the Neighborhood Partnership Office

In addition, you and your neighborhood should ask these questions before applying for a large grant:

• Will your project be located on property that’s generally accessible to anyone at anytime?
• Will your project be entirely visible from a public street?
• Will your project result in a benefit that can be enjoyed by the general public?
• If your project benefits the entire neighborhood, but is located on or also benefits private property, is your neighborhood willing to match up to 66 percent of the total cost of the project through any combination of cash, donations or sweat equity? 
• Is your project located within a Homeowners Association?  If so, would your HOA be willing to cash match up to 66% of the total project cost?
  
  If you answered "No" to one or more of the above questions, then this may not be
  the program for you. Other city departments may be able to assist, however, so call (623) 930-2868 and let us know what you have in mind and we can direct you to the correct department. Or, one of our other grants may be more appropriate for your neighborhood.

What This Means for You

What is the public benefit?

A project or improvement that promotes the public health, safety, or welfare of the community, providing benefit primarily to citizens as a neighborhood or community, not as individuals, whether the project or improvement is located on public or private property. Benefits to private property and individuals must be incidental to the primary public benefits.

What has been approved?

The following are all examples of neighborhood and HOA improvement projects that have been approved by the Citizen's Advisory Commission on Neighborhoods and the Mayor and Council:

• Installation of new sidewalks and the repair of old and broken sidewalks
• Installation of handicap curb cuts for disabled persons
• Installation of limited number of new streetlights
• Street improvements (paving, installation of curb and gutters)
• The construction of new neighborhood entry-way monuments
• The installation of landscaping as a part of an entry-way beautification and/or right-of-way improvements

Click on the link below to download the Large Grant Application

• Neighborhood Partnership Grant Application (Word Doc)

Small Grants

These grants can be used for projects similar to those mentioned above, but on a smaller scale, such as just landscaping in one area, or just an entry monument. Also, these grants are usually a good place for a neighborhood to get started. In fact, neighborhoods can apply for small grants to conduct assessments and conceptual design for their neighborhoods and use that information to guide them in applying for large grants to implement the enhancements. A neighborhood can apply for up to $5,000 annually in small grants. These grants can be applied for at anytime during the year.

• Small Grant Application (Word Doc)

Neighborhood Connections Grants

The best way for neighborhoods to remain active and strong is by having community events that get everyone out to enjoy themselves, learn more about each other, and discuss what is going in their neighborhood. To encourage this, neighborhoods can apply for a Neighborhood Connection grant to help reimburse the cost of having an event. This grant is for up to $500 a year and can be applied for at any time during the year. The neighborhood will also need to work with their neighborhood coordinator on this grant.

• Neighborhood Connection Grant Application (Word Doc)

Neighborhood Advisory Commission on Neighborhoods

The purpose of the Glendale Commission on Neighborhoods is to develop and recommend to the Mayor and City Council general policies, strategies, and programs relating to the development, preservation, improvement, and revitalization of Glendale neighborhoods. The Commission also hears all requests for the three types of grants listed above. The commission is made up of 11 citizen members; each volunteering their personal time to work with Glendale’s many neighborhoods.

Commission meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. in conference room B-3 of City Hall (unless otherwise announced), and are open to the public. Concerns or ideas regarding Glendale’s neighborhoods can be shared with this commission. The members of this commission are committed to Glendale’s neighborhoods and welcome the opportunity to work more closely with any Glendale neighborhood.

Citizens Advisory Commission on Neighborhoods for 2009-10 

• Ron Abrahams, At-Large (Cactus District)
• Sharon Brown, Sahuaro District
• Jo Ann Caufield, Cholla District
• Barbara Cole, Cactus District
• Sharon Heatwole, Ocotillo District
• Bill Jocewicz, Yucca District
• Vickie Loya, Vice Chair, At-Large (Cholla District)
• Sharon Sprague, Chair, At-Large (Sahuaro District)
• Matthew Versluis, Barrel District