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What are Community Improvement Grants?
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Community improvement grants are grants provided to communities to fund projects which are designed to improve the community in some way. Many of these grants come from government agencies, although others can come from private companies interested in contributing to communities. In order to obtain a community improvement grant, it is necessary to file a grant application describing the nature of a proposed project, demonstrating community support for the project, and providing an estimate of costs.
Funds from these grants can be used in a wide variety of ways. For example, many communities apply for “block” or “neighborhood” beautification grants, in which the funds are used on a beautification project such as planting trees, creating ornamental markers in the neighborhood, creating murals on commercial building, or landscaping. Such grants can also be used to improve accessibility in a neighborhood, to repair damaged or aging roadways, to replace or add lights to control traffic, and so forth.
Improvement grants can also be used to fund community initiatives which will improve life in the community. Such initiatives can include things like after school programs, community health education programs, outreach programs for the elderly, and so forth. The grant funds can be used for everything from purchasing and outfitting a facility for administering such programs, to paying the staffers who make the program possible.
Another use for community improvement grants can include housing and renewal. Such grants can be used to promote affordable housing initiatives, to provide assistance to people who want to perform maintenance such as painting on housing and other structures, or to find research which will be used to shape the building plan for a community. Other community improvement grants can cover topics like encouraging alternative energy use, promoting tourism, collecting community history, preserving historical buildings of interest, and an assortment of other projects.
A wide variety of things could be considered “community improvement.” Grant applications for community improvement grants are more likely to be approved if people can demonstrate in a meaningful way that the funds will truly benefit the community, and if the application shows exactly how the funds will be used and accounted for. Having a professional grant writer prepare or assist with the application can be beneficial, as grant writers are accustomed to the ins and outs of the process and they can help people avoid common pitfalls which might limit the amount of funds available.
Mary McMahon
Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.
Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.
Learn more...AS FEATURED ON:
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![Community improvement grants may be aimed towards outreach programs for elderly individuals.]()
By: riccardo bruniCommunity improvement grants may be aimed towards outreach programs for elderly individuals. -
![Community improvement grants might fund computer-based education programs.]()
By: 06photoCommunity improvement grants might fund computer-based education programs. -
![Community improvement grants may help pay for local sports programs for low-income children.]()
By: cfarmerCommunity improvement grants may help pay for local sports programs for low-income children. -
![Community improvement grants might go toward festivals and other events that promotes cultural awareness.]()
By: CedarchisCociredeFCommunity improvement grants might go toward festivals and other events that promotes cultural awareness. -
![Community improvement grants might help pay for wellness programs.]()
By: sneksy13Community improvement grants might help pay for wellness programs. -
![Community improvement grants might be used to promote tourist highlights such as fine dining restaurants.]()
By: Andres RodriguezCommunity improvement grants might be used to promote tourist highlights such as fine dining restaurants.
Discussion Comments
@indigomoth - I lived in quite a poor neighborhood, but we were good neighbors and we managed to get a bit done even without a grant. Just a few of us at first, but soon we had more people helping. We planted a few trees and flowers in the park and so forth.
Yes, we've had vandals which can be discouraging. But, you know, it's that much easier when you can come together to complain about them.
We are thinking about applying for a grant for some new playground equipment next. I hope you're right and having a group of us working together will help.
Community improvements are sometimes written off as trivial, but they are really important to the health of the community as a whole.
It's amazing what a difference it can make if you make sure your kids have a safe place to go so they can play, or if you have trees and flowers planted around the place.
And a decent mural that reflects the diversity of your neighborhood can bring you all together.
As an additional benefit, you might be able to get people together so that they can provide labor for whatever it is that you want to get done.
I think if you can show that you have people willing to do that, you might find grants easier to come by as well. The people who give grants like to think they are going to folk who will appreciate them.
If you are looking for a grant writer, you might want to ask around the neighborhood. You'd be surprised how many people have to write grants in their everyday jobs.
I knew a man who worked for a meat research lab and even though he trained as a scientist and had a PhD in physics, all he seemed to do was write grant proposals. People who work for any kind of community outreach will also have experience with it, or anyone who has ever done aid work overseas. A lot of teachers may have had to apply for a grant over the years as well.
Sometimes it's good to hire a professional to make sure you get the grant, but I would just make sure you don't have the perfect person to write it right under your nose.
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