I am delighted to announce the third round for the Neighborhood Partnership Grant (NPG) Program, created by the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners in late 2000 to provide matching funds for neighborhood improvement projects. The NPG program, was created as an incentive for neighborhood groups and organizations to become active partners in community revitalization and to enhance, as well as stimulate, interest in the overall quality of life in the County's neighborhoods.

The NPG program was developed as part of the Countywide Community Revitalization Team (CCRT) efforts to assist communities in need. The CCRT, under the umbrella of the Planning, Zoning and Building Department, was formed by the Board in 1997 to coordinate stabilization/revitalization efforts and activities for deteriorated residential neighborhoods in unincorporated areas of the County. The mission of the CCRT is to offer designated neighborhoods specialized support to assist with neighborhood improvement efforts. Efforts focus on revitalization, sustainability, crime and blight reduction, resident participation, and neighborhood leadership development.

I am very proud to make the NPG program available to help those community groups that work so hard and do so much to make Palm Beach County a better place in which to live.

Review Criteria

Projects must:

• Be located in unincorporated Palm Beach County within one of the Eligible Areas (see map for eligible areas);

• Have support of adjacent property owners;

• Provide at least a 50 - 50 match directly related to the total project cost including: cash, volunteer effort (sweat equity), materials, private grants or any combination of these.  Proof of available cash must be verified by a bank statement and submitted with the application;

• Be visible, accessible and beneficial to the participating community and the general public;

• Designate a person, association or responsible entity to perform ongoing maintenance and repair of the project;

• Not conflict with, but may supplement, existing and/or proposed public improvement projects and programs; and

• Provide a minimum of three (3) vendor quotes, for the exact same quantity of materials, supplies and labor.

A total of $150,000 is dedicated to the program during this funding cycle. The maximum award is $20,000 for a single project. However, the intent is to award grant funds to as many areas as possible. The amount of the grant must be matched on a dollar for dollar basis by the neighborhood. 

All NPG applicants will be screened using the Review Criteria. Those projects meeting this criteria will be further evaluated by the NPG Review Committee (RC) comprised of county staff. The RC is responsible for reviewing, evaluating, ranking and recommending projects for funding to the Board of County Commissioners.

Applications will be accepted from formal neighborhood or business associations, informal neighborhood organizations with a record of resident participation and a commitment for neighborhood improvements; and residents who are interested in working on neighborhood projects.

Letter of Intent

All parties interested in applying for a Neighborhood Partnership Grant must submit a Letter of Intent no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, June 9, 2003.

Deadline for Applications

The deadline to submit an application is Friday, July 25, 2003, 5:00 pm. Proposals arriving after that time will not be considered. Mail or deliver the application to: Palm Beach County Planning Division, Community Revitalization Section, 100 Australian Ave., West Palm Beach, Florida 33406. No e-mail applications will be accepted.

Application packets are available at the Palm Beach County Planning Division.  You can also click here to download an application in Adobe PDF format. To download in MS Word format, click here.

Potential applicants are encouraged to attend one of four Technical Assistance Workshops. These workshops are designed to review the application criteria and grant guidelines. The Application Workshops will be held on the following dates:

  *All meetings are from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Ruth De Rose
Palm Beach County Planning Division
100 Australian Avenue, 5^th Floor
West Palm Beach, Florida 33406

Phone (561) 233-5376 or E-mail rmoguill@co.palm-beach.fl.us

or you may also contact:

Karen Loomis
Palm Beach County Planning Division
100 Australian Avenue, 5^th Floor
West Palm Beach, Florida 33406

Phone (561) 233-5329 or E-mail
kloomis@co.palm-beach.fl.us