Maryanne Corder Neighborhood Grant Program


Funds for 2009/2010 have been allocated.  The application for 2010/2011 will be available in December 2009.

City of Tempe Neighborhood Grant Allocation Summary 
City of Tempe 2009/2010 Maryanne Corder Neighborhood Grant Program $15,000 Application

City of Tempe 2009/2010 Maryanne Corder Neighborhood Grant Program $50,000 Application

Background
Tempe’s Maryanne Corder Neighborhood Grant Program was created as a means to invest in resident-initiated projects designed to enhance the quality of life in our neighborhoods.  Applications are solicited on an annual basis.  T
he program was renamed the Maryanne Corder Neighborhood Grant Program by the City Council in November 2004 in honor of the City’s first Neighborhood Program Director.

Funding
Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) of the City’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget has been allocated for grant proposals of a communitywide benefit.  This year, a maximum amount of $15,000 per association may be awarded.  A single annual grant is available to one association in the amount of $50,000. 
Applicants can apply for smaller grants in an amount up to $15,000 and/or for the sole $50,000 grant, but will be awarded only one grant.

Eligible Applicants
1.                   Neighborhood Associations in Tempe registered with the Neighborhood Services Division
2.                   Homeowners’ Associations in Tempe registered with the Neighborhood Services Division
3.                   Apartment communities that are fully certified in the City’s Crime Free Multi-housing Program

Applicants are welcome to coordinate efforts and submit a joint application that combines resources for mutually beneficial projects of community benefit.  For example, any combination of neighborhood and homeowners’ associations and crime free multi-housing communities can partner together on improvements that benefit all members of the community, such as a traffic calming or park project.

Eligible & Ineligible Projects
To be eligible for funding, a project must be a capital improvement project that benefits the entire neighborhood rather than just a few residents.  Previous grant projects include, but are not limited to: security lighting, traffic calming (excluding speed humps), landscape and beautification, park improvements, signage and art projects.  A complete list of previously funded projects is available at http://www.tempe.gov/neighborhoods/grantallocations.htm or by contacting the Neighborhood Services Division.

Grant projects do NOT include ordinary City services such as maintenance of parks, public street lighting and public streets. The funding provides for capital projects ONLY and NOT FOR MAINTENANCE OR OPERATION costs these projects may impose.  Projects that would fix a self-imposed code violation are also ineligible.

Homeowners’ association requests should be for projects OTHER than those maintenance projects that should be covered in the associations annual budgets such as roofing repair, common ground and pool maintenance, painting, road repair (for private streets) etc. -- these would NOT be funded.  Entry gates are also not eligible for funding.

Apartment community requests should be for enhancements only, NOT for regular maintenance projects or for those required by law (i.e. pool fences). 

Community Involvement
A critical component of any grant project is the community involvement and benefit.  All residents of the community must be notified of the opportunity to apply for a grant and provided a chance to propose and comment on projects.  Applicants should carefully plan out and document how the community is going to be involved in the selection of a project as well as the execution.  Grant projects can provide an opportunity for hands on involvement from residents, such as planting trees or creating elements of an art project. 

Guidelines:
The City’s Neighborhood Service Team (NST) allocates both $15,000 grants and the $50,000 grant using the following guidelines:
1.                   Meet City requirements for development review, building permits, engineering permits, city code etc.
2.                   Improve health and safety of residents

3.                   Benefit a significant number of residents and the City at large

4.                   Address a known neighborhood deficiency
5.                   Complement other neighborhood investments (private or City)
6.                   Promote water and energy conservation
7.                   Enhance the aesthetics of the neighborhood
8.                   Are accessible to all members of the community
9.                   Implement General Plan 2030
*Please note that a preference may be given to those associations that have not previously received funds.

When evaluating the requests for the $50,000 grant, the NST will use the following additional guidelines:
1.                   Does the project have a unique visual impact?
2.                   Is the project located to maximize visibility and general public use or access?
3.                   Does the project provide opportunities to mobilize the neighborhood in the creation of a point of neighborhood pride?
4.                   Does the project lend itself to benefiting the greatest number of users possible?
* Please note that associations can only be eligible to receive the $50,000 grant once every 5 years.  To be considered, the $50,000 grant must be for one project, not a grouping of unrelated projects.

Contents
One application should be submitted per project and project type.  An association may request funding for more than one project, but the total requested may not exceed $15,000.  If applying jointly, each association is still eligible for $15,000 (2 associations would be eligible for a total of $30,000, 3 associations $45,000, etc).  The application should be compiled and submitted in the following order and should NOT exceed a total of 10 pages:

Item 1   Application (please limit to the three pages provided)
Item 2   Bids for project work
Item 3   Proof of notification (i.e. sample of newsletters or postcards sent out)
Item 4   Proof of staff contact if required (see minimum requirements)
Item 5   Drawings and/or pictures describing the project
Item 6   Any other background information

Procedure for application:
Each neighborhood/homeowners’ association wishing to apply for funding should send the attached application form to the Neighborhood Services Division by the Monday, May 18, 2009, 5:00 p.m. deadline.  Please note that there are two different applications, one for grants up to $15,000 and one for the $50,000 grant.  If desired, applicants may contact the Neighborhood Services Division to verify receipt of the application.

All applications are reviewed to see if they have met the minimum requirements (these are listed on the application).  Applications not meeting the minimum requirements will not be reviewed, this includes late applications.  Applications are also reviewed for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Following that review, the Neighborhood Service Team (NST -- 30 representatives from 11 City departments and/or divisions) will receive copies of complete applications for review prior to voting.  On Wednesday, July 15, 2009 the NST will vote on the projects to be recommended for funding by City Council.  The NST will provide names of the selected projects at a subsequent public meeting of the City Council during an Issue Review Session, which will likely take place in mid to late August 2009.  Grant applicants will be notified of funding decisions in writing.