Neighbors enjoying a community event.

Neighborhood Initiative Funds

Projects designed by neighborhoods

The Neighborhood Initiative Fund supports projects designed by neighborhoods for the surrounding community and benefits the areas along the New Bern Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Dix Park via the area map. *See map below!  The fund offers capacity building opportunities to existing communities to preserve sense of place, neighborhood stability, preservation, and stabilization during the BRT updates. Neighborhoods are urged to develop proposals that make the most of resources around their area and strengthen partnerships in the community.

Types of Projects

Your neighborhood group may be eligible for up to $15,000 in Neighborhood Initiative Funds (NIFs) from the City of Raleigh for projects that enhance and strengthen your neighborhood if you fall within the geographical boundaries provided by the area map. *See map below.

The City provides this funding to encourage communities to get involved and enable groups of neighbors to carry out projects that they have always wanted to do, but never had the funds to complete.

These three types of projects are eligible for Neighborhood Initiative Funds:

  • Community and Neighborhood Organizing
    To create, diversify, or expand membership in a neighborhood group for the benefit of the entire neighborhood or community.
    Examples: newsletters, outreach, web pages, apps, oral histories
  • Placekeeping, Placemaking and Physical Improvement
    The active care and maintenance of a current place, or the physically improvement of a specific neighborhood or community location.
    Examples: Landscaping, signs, playground equipment, picnic tables, murals, artwork, and creating unique spaces
  • Non-Physical Improvement
    To organize and hold events and activities.
    Examples: Festivals, celebrations, training sessions, workshops, educational campaigns.

Timeline

  • An application must be submitted at least six weeks prior to the start of the project.
  • Requests for funding will be approved or rejected within three weeks of submittal.
  • Applications are currently being accepted through June 1, 2023.

Neighborhood Initiative Fund Criteria (No match required)

The Neighborhood Initiative Fund is open to neighborhood-based organizations in the Raleigh Neighborhood Registry (RNR). Many kinds of neighborhood-based organizations can be on the registry, including neighborhood and homeowners’ associations, garden clubs, and community watch groups.

If you are not on the Raleigh Neighborhood Registry, you may start the process of applying for a NIF; however, you won’t receive funds until your neighborhood is on the RNR. Don’t worry. It’s an easy process! Just click on the RNR link to get started or call 919-996-4330 for more information

Each NIF application will be reviewed by a committee to make sure that all criteria have been met. Once the fund is voted on by the committee, the group will be notified if they will receive the funds, or if the neighborhood organization will need to resubmit the application with changes.

Criteria for Funds:

  • There is a total of $125,000 set aside for the NIF fund. Neighborhoods are eligible for up to $15,000 for a one time project on a first come first serve basis until the NIF funds are depleted.
  • You are only eligible for the NIF if your neighborhood-based organization falls inside of the area map.
  • Provide a public benefit that is free and open to all members of the community.
  • Emphasize self-help, with ideas initiated, planned and implemented by the neighbors and community members who will be affected by the project.
  • Demonstrate community involvement.
  • If you are a nonprofit or community business wanting to use NIF funds, a neighborhood-based organization will need to sponsor your application. In the application, you will need to show how the money provided will help support both the neighborhood and the nonprofit / community business.
  • Funds used will help mitigate and offset the disruption caused by public project construction.
  • An organization must submit a brief report including photos/video to the Neighborhood Enrichment Services Division describing the project's success within 2 weeks of completion.
  • An organization may receive funding for one project, regardless of funding spent.
  • An organization's chair, president, or organizing leader must sign a contract indicating that if Neighborhood Initiative Funds are misused, the funds will be repaid to the City of Raleigh, or the group will forfeit its right to submit future funding requests.
  • Have a clear, significant impact on the appearance or conditions of the neighborhood and capture the essence of the neighborhood's rich past and history.

Complete the Neighborhood Initiative Fund application now! 

 

Contact

 

Neighborhood Enrichment
919-996-4330
commserv@raleighnc.gov

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Lead Department:
Housing and Neighborhoods
Service Categories:
Neighborhood Enrichment