Apply for a Neighborhood Mini-Grant

The Neighborhood Mini-Grant supports activities that improve communities, strengthen neighborhood associations and encourage civic involvement. The maximum grant per association is $5,000.

General eligibility

• Neighborhood, Civic, Homeowner Associations, Crime Watch Programs and Special Taxing Districts in Hillsborough County are eligible
  • This includes City of Tampa, the City of Temple Terrace and Plant City
• Only one grant is awarded per qualified neighborhood association
• Projects must be neighborhood specific
• Groups must be comprised of neighborhood residents and stakeholders, and the project or event must be held in the same neighborhood

Application requirements

• Your neighborhood must register with our Office of Neighborhood Relations before we will consider you for the grant
  • There are mandatory Neighborhood Mini-Grant Information Session, which will take place in person or online via GoToMeeting (dates to be announced)
  • • No application will be accepted without training verification code from a Mini-Grant Information Session
    • The Mini-Grant Information Session will review the application, grant criteria, projects that qualify for the mini-grant and answer any questions you have regarding the mini-grant
  • Neighborhoods applying for projects that could require permits or other permissions are required to submit proof of permits or permissions with their completed application

For more information, please contact the Office of Neighborhood Relations at (813) 272-5860.

All session dates for 2018 have completed. New session dates will be announced in spring/summer of 2019.

Favorably Consider Projects

We urge neighborhood leaders to think creatively when brainstorming about projects and types of community involvement. The review committee favors applications with matching funds or that involve other forms of leveraged community support.  

The following types of projects will be favorably considered:

• Children's programs (e.g., neighborhood-operated programs that benefit children within the association)
• Neighborhood identity (e.g., brochures, signs, festivals, and education of neighborhood history)
• Neighborhood leadership training and development
• Start-up funds for specific neighborhood projects (e.g., newsletters, Internet sites)
• Crime Watch (e.g., communication systems with law enforcement)
• Publicity of special events (e.g., community cleanups)
• Beautification (we will only consider Florida-Friendly planting)
• Social events that bring neighbors together (block party, youth event, art, holiday party)

Ineligible Projects

The following types of projects are not eligible for funding:

• Food or drinks
• Daily operating expenses and maintenance
• Infrastructure projects (e.g., building construction, repairs or enhancements to buildings or other structures, sidewalks, street lighting, road improvements, or anything eligible for funding under the County Capital Improvement Program)
• Cameras, electronics (including computers), air conditioners, copiers (office equipment), televisions, locks
• Projects which are typically funded under other sources such as:
  • a city or County department’s operating budget
  • Community Development Block Grant
  • Social Service RFA
  • Weed & Seed
  • Children's Board process
• Applicants who were funded in previous cycles, but the Scope of Work was not completed as negotiated
  • Those, associations cannot submit applications for 1 fiscal year
• Individual gifts
• Projects currently funded from another source

A full list of all projects not qualified for a Neighborhood Mini-Grant is available in the application.

Evaluation Criteria

The Neighborhood Mini-Grant Evaluation Committee uses questions to evaluate each mini-grant application. 

• Each question is assigned a point value
• The maximum score an application can receive is 100
• The grant applications are ranked accordingly:
  • Ten points are awarded automatically if the applicant is applying for the first time
  • Six points are awarded if the applicant was funded in previous cycles and the final Performance Report was submitted on time

Questions

• Does the application clearly describe the project and its goals? (7 points)
• Does the application communicate a community need? (8 points)
• Does the project address the community need? (8 points)
• Does the project have the potential to strengthen the community? (10 points)
• Does the project have the potential to strengthen the applying association? (10 points)
• Does the application show evidence of community consensus for the project? (10 points)
• Does the application show evidence of community involvement in the implementation of the project? (10 points)
• Is the budget clear and justifiable? (6 points)
• Is this the most appropriate source of funding? (5 points)
• Does the applicant show sufficient evidence of leveraging of community resources (cash or in-kind)? (10 points)

1. Attend mandatory Neighborhood Mini-Grant Information Session either in-person or online
   • To be announced - dates, times and ways to access the orientation sessions
2. Receive necessary permits or permissions, if your project requires them to be completed
3. Submit the completed application by dropping-off or mailing to:
   County Center
   Office of Neighborhood Relations
   601 E. Kennedy Blvd., 28th Floor
   Tampa, FL 33602
   
   You can also email or fax your application:
• Email
• Fax: (813)276-2621

1. After the application closing date of August 3, 2018, the Neighborhood Mini-Grant Committee will review all applications
2. Funding is dependent on Board of County Commissioners approval
3. We will notify recipients by Nov. 30

• Substitute W-9