Grants
The City of Tallahassee offers several grant programs designed to enhance neighborhood pride, quality of life and resident engagement. Whether your neighborhood would like to install a new entryway sign, implement a youth program, or host a block party, the City of Tallahassee would like to help make it happen.
Frenchtown Housing Rehab Program
The Frenchtown Housing Rehab Program is a five-year forgivable loan program funded by the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), that seeks to repair homes located in the Frenchtown neighborhood. Revitalizing the Frenchtown neighborhood through the preservation of its existing housing stock is essential to the livelihood and continued vibrancy of the community. By funding needed housing repairs, the Frenchtown Housing Rehab Program will aid in keeping residents in their homes, ensure that neighborhood homes are free from health and safety hazards, and preserve the housing unit to allow current residents to age in place and/or provide future residents with decent and safe housing. The maximum funding provided by the program is up to $25,000 for owner-occupied units and up to $17,500 for renter-occupied units.
View Full Housing Rehab Release
See the full Overview document/FAQs of the program
Frenchtown Community Engagement Fund
The Frenchtown Community Engagement Fund (CEF) is a grant program that seeks to provide funding to Frenchtown residents and stakeholders to help implement the Frenchtown Neighborhood First Plan. At the heart of the CEF is the engagement of Frenchtown residents and stakeholders in the implementation of their Neighborhood First Plan. Frenchtown residents and stakeholders are acutely aware of the issues and concerns that face their neighborhood, and many are willing if they receive some help to undertake a project, which will improve their neighborhood. Proposals approved for CEF funding, from their inception, and development must engage Frenchtown residents and stakeholders.
Frenchtown Community Engagement Fund
Vibrant Neighborhoods Grants Program
City of Tallahassee Neighborhood and Homeowner Associations: Are you interested in sponsoring a special event in your neighborhood to bring neighbors together? Do you know of a great place to have a welcome sign in your neighborhood? Or maybe you would like to add trees, benches or artwork to a public space. Perhaps your neighborhood would benefit from landscaping improvements in common areas or a community garden. If you and your neighbors are willing to work hard to see your ideas come to fruition, the City of Tallahassee would like to partner with you through the Vibrant Neighborhoods Grant Program to foster livable and vibrant neighborhoods.
The City of Tallahassee has established the Vibrant Neighborhoods Grant Program (VNG) to invest in resident-initiated projects designed to enhance the quality of life in City of Tallahassee neighborhoods. Find out more about the program and how to apply.
Greater Bond Residential Facade Program
The Greater Bond Neighborhood Residential Façade Improvement Grant Program seeks to preserve and improve the quality of the housing stock in the section of the Greater Bond neighborhood that is within boundaries of the Greater Frenchtown/ Southside Community Redevelopment Area (GFS District). The grant funds eligible repairs to the exterior of certain residential structures with the intent of making the housing unit safe and secured while improving the aesthetics of the neighborhood.
Funding
The program provides grant funding up to and not to exceed $17,000 per housing unit. The Program Administrator manages these funds and no funding is provided directly to the homeowner. The City of Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) provides the funding for the program. Approximately, $500,000 is available to fund program’s second round of grants, which opens on September 1.
Eligibility
Homeowners and property owners within the Greater Bond neighborhood are eligible to apply for funding from the Façade Improvement Grant Program. Only certain types of residential structures are eligible for grant funding (see application package).
Eligible Improvements
Eligible exterior improvements may include:
- repair and/or replacement of roofs
- repair and/or replacement of doors and windows
- exterior painting
- installation of landscaping and irrigation (not to exceed more than $2,500)
- replacement, upgrades or construction of new porches
- repair and/or replacement of gutters and downspouts
- repair and/or replacement, exterior lighting (includes exterior security lighting), etc.;
- repair and/or replacement driveways
- repair, replacement or removal of fencing (chain-linked fences or opaque fences that totally screen in a yard are not eligible for funding)
- pressure or soft washing
- repair and/or replacement of shutters, railings, wood rot, columns, posts
- eaves/soffits repair
- repair and/or replacement of siding
- minor interior repairs necessitated by a funded exterior repair
Program Administration
The City of Tallahassee Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs Department administers the program with assistance from the City’s Housing and Community Resilience Department. Project management services for the program is currently being provided by the Tallahassee Lenders’ Consortium. For the second round of the funding the City will issue a Request for Qualification to select a new project manager for the program.
Application Information
The application period for Round 2 funding expired on October 16.
Neighborhood Partnership Grant Program for Greater Frenchtown/Southside CRA
The City’s Neighborhood Affairs Division is pleased to announce the availability of funding for the Neighborhood Partnership Grant Program. Funded by the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and administered by Neighborhood Affairs, the Neighborhood Partnership Grant provides grants to emerging and established neighborhood and homeowners associations (HOAs) in the Greater Frenchtown/Southside CRA District. Neighborhoods within the geographic boundaries of the district are encouraged to apply for up to $7,500 in funding to help improve their neighborhood’s physical and/or public safety conditions, or Neighborhood engagement and enrichment programing. The grant funds and accompanying technical assistance provided by Neighborhood Affairs are designed to empower neighborhood groups to effectively plan and implement solutions to neighborhood concerns.
Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to qualified applicants who have provided a completed grant application and whose proposed project meets the eligibility criteria. Approximately, $30,000 is available to funds grants under this program.
Applications may be submitted via email to Neighborhoods@talgov.com, hand delivered by appointment to the Neighborhood Affairs office at Smith-Williams Service Center, 2295 Pasco Street, Tallahassee, or mailed to Smith-Williams Service Center at 2295 Pasco Street Tallahassee, FL 32310. No faxed applications will be accepted. Please call (850) 891-8795 or (850) 354-1926 to make an appointment to drop off your application.
Additional information about the program can be obtained by contacting Neighborhood Services Coordinator, Jillian Driscoll at Neighborhoods@talgov.com or 850-354-1926.