Covington Now Accepting Applications for Community Improvement Grants

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River City News
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Since its inception in 2018, groups across Covington have used the city’s Neighborhood Grant Program to fund small projects around the city such as:

  • A tree planting in Austinburg
  • Dog waste stations, Little Libraries, and pedestrian signs in Monte Casino
  • Lamp posts, plants, and bench repairs in Wallace Woods
  • Planters and picnic tables in Latonia
  • A pizza box recycling receptacle and mosaic sign repair in MainStrasse Village
  • Perennials and herbs in Peaselburg

This year, $54,000 has been set aside for more such projects, and the City and its program administrator – The Center for Great Neighborhoods – are now accepting applications.

“You can see and feel the impact of the Neighborhood Grant Program almost anywhere you go,” said Brandon Holmes, Covington’s Neighborhood Services director. “Neighbors working together on quality of life-related matters that the City can ultimately fund.”

Therefore, the city is claiming that if you and the neighbors have been talking about sprucing up the neighborhood, now is the time to get square on a plan and submit an application for up to $10,000.

The deadline for applying is Feb. 14, 2022, which will approach quickly.

Program guidelines and an application form can be found here.

Here is the process:

  • Step One: Work with your neighbors to develop an idea, project, activity, or event that improves the physical environment or the quality of life in your community.
  • Step Two: Schedule a meeting or call Shannon Ratterman with The Center for Great Neighborhoods (CGN) to discuss your proposal. This allows for a general vetting of the details of your project or activity and is a time to address any concerns prior to the application submission.
  • Step Three: Complete your application and submit it by Feb. 14.
  • Step Four: A committee of staff from the City and CGN will review and evaluate submissions based on the program’s scoring criteria and recommend grant recipients to the Covington Board of Commissioners for approval.
  • Step Five: City and CGN staff will work with the winning applicants to coordinate the necessary items, including execution of the grant agreement and access to the funding as quickly as possible.

-Staff report