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.
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
FY2019 Neighborhood Partnership Grant Program for Greater Frenchtown/Southside CRA
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 this district are encouraged to apply for up to $5,000 in funding to help improve their neighborhood’s physical and/or public safety conditions. 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.
A continuation of the program initiated in FY2018, grants are 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. Total funding of $50,000 has been provided for this grant.
Applications may be submitted electronically to John.Baker@talgov.com, or mailed/hand delivered to John Baker, Smith-Williams Service Center, 2295 Pasco St., Tallahassee, 32310. Only one application and supporting documents per neighborhood will be accepted.
Additional information about the program can be obtained by contacting Neighborhood Affairs Manager, John Baker at 850-891-8773
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.