Valparaiso has reached a $1 million milestone in just four years after this month’s announcement of 2021 recipients for Neighborhood Improvement Grants.
The City of Valparaiso awarded 20 grants totaling $205,000 in funds to support neighborhood community improvements. The grant money, when added to the matching investments by the neighborhoods participating, totals more than $275,000 for park, landscape and various improvements for neighborhood projects.
“We’re awarding the Neighborhood Improvement Grant funds earlier this year, giving neighborhoods a jump in completing projects for the season,” said Maggie Clifton, Valparaiso’s Director of Community Engagement and administrator of the grant program.
“We were also very excited to meet some new neighborhoods this year, coming forward with great ideas that will gather them together. Funding is used for everything from tree plantings and gathering spaces like pavilions and shelters to upgrades to playgrounds.”
The neighborhoods receiving grants to use in 2022 include Audubon Estates, Banta, Bicentennial Square, Bridgewater Estates, Brigata Hills, Central, College Hill, Courtyards of Pepper Creek, Greenfield Creek, Hatch Lake, Hawthorne, Jessee-Pifer, Keystone Commons, Kingsridge, Lakepointe Gardens, Mistwood, Oak Grove, Shamrock, Sunnybank and Villas at Vale Park.
Clifton said the being projects funded this year include tree plantings, common area upgrades to give neighbors new and improved spaces for gathering while enhancing neighborhood parks.
Grants are awarded for qualified neighborhood-based projects in Valparaiso, with funding range available in increments up to $15,000 awarded to the proposed neighborhood projects. A new opportunity of the program this year was an option for multiple neighborhoods to join together to submit one application to pool resources for a larger shared project potentially funded by an increased amount up to $30,000.
“It’s rewarding to see so many neighborhoods coming together to plan projects that improve their quality of life,” Valparaiso Mayor Matt Murphy said.
“These grants are a positive way the City can support neighborhoods with the projects that matter especially to them.”
The City of Valparaiso introduced the Neighborhood Improvement Grant program in 2018 and to date, has awarded 79 grants totaling more than $785,000 for neighborhood groups.
Clifton said the application process for next year is already starting with neighborhoods planning projects and reviewing the steps needed to assure success.
“The application we use is easy and only consists about 10 questions to fill out online,” Clifton said.
“I’ve even been told our application is too simple, considering the project award money that is given out,” Clifton said.
“I like to remind that a more involved task for the application process is you need to have the consent of your neighbors or the Home Owners Association of your community to know that everyone in your neighborhood is on board for the project being proposed.”
To learn more about the Neighborhood Improvement Grant program, including how to apply for funding next year, visit the Community Engagement page at www.Valpo.us.
Philip Potempa is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
