The City of Eugene is offering as much as $25,000 in grants to residents who want to improve their neighborhoods, provided they can match the funds in money or labor.
The Eugene City Council has allocated $50,000 for each year over the next three fiscal years for the Neighborhood Matching Grant program. The program, which previously operated between 2000 and 2004, allows residents and neighborhood organizations to receive grants from the city for community improvement or building projects.
Residents and neighborhood groups applying to the program are expected to match the city’s grants for each project – set at a minimum of $250 – with cash donations, donated supplies or volunteer labor.
Beth Bridges, city Neighborhood Services manager, said each application is required to have an endorsement from the local neighborhood association. Each application is reviewed by a nine-member citizen advisory committee that evaluates the project based on community involvement, the tangible benefits to the neighborhood, project readiness and on the ability to match the grant, she said.
Projects are required to be available for public access for at least five years, and to be located within Eugene’s
urban growth boundary. Once the proposals are approved, they pass on to the City Council for the proposals and grant allocation to be approved.
The grant program previously financed more than 40 building and improvement projects at parks, playgrounds, historical preservation sites and neighborhood events, according to the city’s Web site.
Bridges said all residents and neighborhood associations are required to submit their project ideas and information to the Neighborhood Services office before Jan. 15, 2007.
Grant packets are available at www.eugene-or.gov, at city libraries and the Permit and Information Center at
99 W. 10th Ave.