Fill - Free fillable 2020 Lybg Application (City) PDF form

TO:

FROM:

SUBJECT:

DATE:

NEIGHBORHOOD-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

KEVIN HOWARD, DIRECTOR

HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAMS

2020 LOVE YOUR BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM

MARCH 2, 2020

The City of Little Rock is happy to announce a competitive grant program designed to help

Neighborhood-Based Organizations (NBOs) meet their most pressing challenges through

community service and focused city services. The purpose of the grant is to promote and increase

volunteer-ism in the City while partnering with City staff to improve the quality of life in our

neighborhoods.

The City anticipates awarding twenty-eight (28) $1,000 grants (maximum of four (4) grants per

Ward). Any City of Little Rock Neighborhood-Based Organizations registered with the City is

eligible to apply. The objective of the Love Your Block Grant Program is to encourage projects

that promote volunteer-ism, foster civic pride, enhance and beautify neighborhoods, or encourage

improvements in the way residents connect and solve problems. In order to assist you and your

organization with your project, we require that you complete your projects in the months of

May through December of 2020. This will provide City staff with the opportunity to work with

you and coordinate staff resources (mulch, debris removal, tools, etc.) to provide enhanced city

services, thus making a bigger and lasting impact to your neighborhood.

As an added incentive to neighborhoods, Housing and Neighborhood Programs will review the

completed projects in January 2021 that have met all the requirements and announce a “Love

Your Block Project of the Year” in the Housing and Neighborhood Programs Newsletter.

Please review the enclosed information carefully, complete the grant application documents,

attached your group's W-9 and return the forms to Housing and Neighborhood Programs,

ATTN: Love Your Block, C/O: Lisa Wells, 500 West Markham, Ste., 120 West, Little Rock,

AR 72201. NOTE: APPLICATIONS WITHOUT A W-9 WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

NEW W-9'S ARE REQUIRED ANNUALLY.

NOTE: SUBMISSIONS NOT ON THE OFFICAL CITY OF LITTLE ROCK 2020 LOVE

YOUR BLOCK GRANT APPLICATION WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

If you have questions regarding this grant program, please contact Lisa Wells at 371-4490. A

fillable pdf application is available on the City of Little Rock website.

The deadline for submitting all applications is 3:00 p.m., Friday, April 17, 2020.

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City of Little Rock

2020 Love Your Block Grant Program

Program Objective

The objective of the Love Your Block Grant Program is to promote and encourage volunteer-ism

in the City through completion of Neighborhood-Based projects that foster civic pride, enhance

and beautify neighborhoods, and expand citizen involvement in local government. The City of

Little Rock seeks well-qualified Neighborhood-Based Organizations to submit proposals that

will result in impactful improvement to the neighborhoods they serve. Citizens across the City

are the best caretakers of their neighborhoods, and the Love Your Block Grant Program will help

to foster a sense of community and belonging.

Project Description, Specific Goals of the Initiative:

 To encourage block and civic Associations throughout the seven wards to engage their

members in an organized, event/activity held between May 1, 2020 and December 31,

2020, that aims to beautify their block;

 To support and provide resources in the form of a cash grant to Associations; and

 To bring relevant and focused City services that will support the efforts of each

association.

Community Grants

The City of Little Rock Department of Housing and Neighborhood will administer up to twenty-

eight (28) grants, each for up to $1,000 to eligible Neighborhood-Based Organizations

(“NBOs”). The Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs will manage fund

dispersal, provide technical assistance and guidance to NBOs, and facilitate City services. City

services may be provided by Parks and Recreation, Public Works, and other City Departments.

Data Collection and Reporting

NBOs will be required to report the following information to the Department of Housing and

Neighborhood Programs on a monthly basis (May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020):

• Detailed descriptions of all proposed activities;

• Before, during and after color pictures of beautification projects in email format only;

• The number of volunteers engaged in the Project; and

• Other impact metrics found in the formal Application

General Grant Policies

NBO’s submitting proposals for grant funds must meet the following criteria:

 Organizations must be registered with the City of Little Rock Department of Housing and

Neighborhood Programs

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 Proposers must operate as a Not-For-Profit Organization/Association in nature and their

projects will not exclude the general public from use, if applicable

 Proposals must have lasting and/or a direct benefit to the neighborhood

 If awarded, Organizations must maintain records reflecting program expenditures, number

of volunteers taking part in the project and in-kind contributions. These records are to be

made available to the City in the Final Report

 The group's W-9 must accompany the application

 All required documents must be submitted by December 31, 2020 by 4:00 p.m. to qualify

Grant recipients will hold the City harmless of all claims of every kind and character that may

arise out of, or are in any way connected to, the project. Grant recipients are considered

independent contractors and not as agents of the City. Proposed projects must be within the

established, recognized and registered boundaries of the Organization submitting the

Proposal. (Requests for an exception to this requirement will be considered on a case-by-case

basis).

Selection Criteria:

Each NBO must have a detailed and realistic Project Plan for engaging residents to carry out a

physical transformation of the public spaces on their block. Specifically, each NBO must:

 Operate on a not-for-profit basis. For purpose of this Love Your Block Grant Program, an

Organization operating on a not-for-profit basis is defined as a Corporation, Organization,

or Association that exists for charitable and/or public purposes without a profit motive or

shareholders.

 Demonstrate the ability to mobilize a minimum of 20 neighborhood volunteers to take part

in the revitalization of their block.

 Include one or more block beautification event(s) in its/their action plan which must occur

between May 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020.

 Send a contact person to a grant orientation workshop where they will meet with

representatives from the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs if required.

 Please respond to all questions in the application. If additional space is needed, please

attach separate pages for your responses to all questions and number paragraphs

accordingly.

 The following projects will be prioritized: blocks within a 500 foot radius of an

elementary, middle or high school (this should be noted in the grant application); projects

that address one or more vacant lots; projects that improve the overall neighborhood

aesthetics; projects that eliminate blight; and, projects that benefit a business district.

 After project completion, grantees will be required to submit digital photos of the block

that was revitalized, and a written report that includes the number of blocks (or other

geographic unit such as number of vacant lots or neighborhoods) revitalized, AND at least

two of the following: square feet of graffiti removed; pounds of litter collected; number of

trees planted; and/or number of green spaces or community gardens created. Other

questions will include but may not be limited to:

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 Specific communities impacted or engaged through the initiative, if any (such as

veterans, seniors, youth, etc.);

 Number of citizens who participated in the transformation of the space;

 Number of physical resources created (such as

benches, picnic tables,

planters/flower boxes), if any; and

 Any anecdotal information you can share about the use of the space following the

transformation (OPTIONAL)

All final documentation must be submitted by December 31, 2020, 4:00 p.m..

Section 1: General Information - Type responses to the following questions in the fillable pdf application

1. What is your Organization’s name?

2. List two contacts for your Organization, along with their phone number and email address.

3. What is your Organization’s mailing address, including zip code?

4. If your Organization has a website, what is the URL?

5. Specify when your Organization formed (month/year). If your Organization is new, is this

the first project it is undertaking?

6. What neighborhood does your Organization work?

7. Briefly describe (no more than 250 words) your Organization’s purpose, history, and

accomplishments.

Section 2: Project Description:

1. Please describe your block in detail. Please include an estimate of the block’s demographics.

2. What are some of the specific concerns you have about its physical appearance?

Mandatory: Include photographs of the present state of the site/block in your application.

3. How would you like to improve its physical appearance?

4. Please include a detailed action plan that indicates the various steps your Organization will

take to carry out the block improvement project. Please refer to the template below, complete

on a separate sheet of paper, and attach it to your application. (Note: Project participants will

be required to sign releases/waivers of liability when performing projects on City property

and/or performing projects on private property using City-awarded grant funds. Written

permission of property owners will be required for projects on private property.)

Examples Follow:

Action

Person/ people

responsible for

project

Date(s) the action(s)

will take place

Intended

outcome(s)

Distribute fliers to all

neighbors announcing

the event &

upcoming Planning

Meeting

John Smith

Linda Jones

July 21-22

Aug 1-2

Sep 7-8

Raise awareness

about upcoming

event; recruit new

resident

volunteers to

attend Planning

Meeting and take

part in the event.

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5. What materials will you need? Please provide a budget that includes all planned expenses

related to the project. Love Your Block grants are up to a $1,000.00 reimbursable from the

City

of Little Rock. Grants do not cover personnel costs or ongoing operating costs. The City

reserves the right to require lease, rather than purchase, of certain equipment.

Costs included in this budget should only consist of one-time expenses related to the project

and/or items such as equipment or supplies. Please refer to the template below, complete on a

separate sheet of paper, and attach it to your application.

Item

Description of Use

Cost

Paint

To paint the walls

surrounding the

community garden

$50.00

TOTAL

$50.00

6. How will you reach out to your neighbors to encourage participation? How will you involve

them? How many neighborhood participants do you anticipate becoming involved?

7. Will you work with local businesses and other community-based organizations? If so, in what

capacity? Please name each business engaged.

8. How do you plan on sustaining the changes your project will create? (i.e. for a block clean-up,

what is your plan for keeping the block clean?)

Important Note on City Services – Please read carefully:

As part of this grant, each Organization can receive support from various City Departments.

Below is a list of City services that are available through this program. Grantees will be able to

learn more about these services at the Grantee Orientation if required.

 Provide trash collection services and litter clean-up supplies (bags and

gloves) for the block project

 Clean City-owned vacant lot(s)

 Remove undesired, City-owned trees from tree pits & prune overgrown,

City-owned trees

 Graffiti removal on City property

 Repair damaged/missing street sign-age

 Board up vacant, City-owned building(s)

 Fill pothole(s)

 Survey block for new tree planting opportunities on City-owned

property

or in the public right-of-way

 Prioritize demolition(s)

 Investigate building code violation(s)

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 Provide information about grant and loan programs available to Little Rock

homeowners

 Provide information about community greening resources and other

resources available for business districts

Please note that requests for service are not guaranteed. City Departments will review requests

and will fulfill as feasible.

Grant funds must be expended within the grant window (May 1, 2020 - December 31, 2020).

Completion of projects shall not be dependent on additional or future funding from the City.

Proposals will be reviewed and selected by a Committee composed of City Staff. All selected

applications will be forwarded to the City Manager for funding.

Grant Guidelines

All grant proposals must be received by 3:00 p.m., Friday, April 17, 2020.

Up to a $1,000.00 reimbursement from the City of Little Rock will be awarded to the

applicant at the conclusion of the Project and after meeting all grant submission requirements.

Therefore, it is extremely important that all grant recipients keep receipt copies and accurate

financial records of costs associated with each project. Original receipts are to be be

submitted. The maximum grant award will be $1,000 per proposal. A minimum 25% match

in the form of either donated materials, donated equipment and/or in-kind labor (volunteers) is

required. (NOTE: Donated labor is calculated at a rate of $10/hour. Volunteer hours must be

documented by forms provided by the City of Little Rock. Additionally, these Grant dollars are

subject to audit by the City’s internal audit staff, therefore, it is the responsibility of each

Organization receiving a grant to keep accurate records of all expenditures and in-kind

contributions).

Examples of Previously Approved Projects

 Footbridge across park pond;

 Upgrading of playground equipment;

 Landscaping of neighborhood parks or common areas;

 Replacement of roofs on community buildings and storage facilities;

 Sprinkler systems for parks and flower beds;

 Entry signs into neighborhoods;

 Installation of house numbers;

 Purchase of tools, mowers, weed eaters and landscaping equipment to set up a too-loan

inventory;

 Storage sheds for neighborhood equipment;

 Equipment and supplies to publish and distribute newsletters, flyers, brochures, etc.;

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 Equipment for crime watch programs;

 Litter control activities and equipment;

 Park benches and grills;

 Summer jobs for youth;

 Neighborhood sponsored youth activities;

 Youth tutoring programs; and

 Construction of neighborhood basketball courts.

** Neighborhood Organizations that were awarded 2019 Love Your Block Grants, but

failed to provide the required information to close out those grants will not be eligible for

2020 awards, unless an extension was requested before the end of 2019. If the required

information is provided before Friday, April 17, 2020, your 2020 application may be

considered. **

The deadline for submitting your grant application is 3:00 p.m., Friday, April 17, 2020

If awarded, City staff will notify the Project Coordinator identified in the Project

Proposal.

2020 Love Your Block

Grant Agreement

Name of Neighborhood Based Organization:

Grant Period: May 1, 20

20 – December 31, 2020

Total Grant Amount: Not to exceed $1,000.00

To receive this award, the Grant recipient hereby agrees to the following:

1. Payment of Grant:

A. The Grant is payable in up to two (2) installments.

B. Up to a $1,000.00 reimbursement from the City of Little Rock will be awarded to

the applicant at the conclusion of the project and after meeting all grant

submission requirements.

2. The project, as outlined in the Grant application must be completed by December 31,

2020.

3. Send two (1) main contacts to a grant orientation workshop where they will meet with

representatives from the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs if

required.

4. The grantee is required to:

A. Maintain separate, complete and accurate records of expenditures of Grant funds.

B. Keep copies of invoices, canceled checks, and receipts for at least two (2) years

after the funds are spent. Original receipts are to be submitted.

C. Demonstrate the ability to mobilize a minimum of twenty (20) neighborhood

volunteers to take part in the revitalization of their block.

D. Meet all Grant reporting requirements. Failure to do so may result in ineligibility

for future Love Your Block Grant funding by The City of Little Rock.

If the above correctly reflects your Organization’s understanding of the arrangements

made regarding the 2020 Love Your Block Grant, please sign this agreement and return it

along with your application to:

Lisa Wells / Kevin Howard

City of Little Rock

Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs

500 West Markham, Suite 120

W Little Rock, AR

72201

_________________________________________ _____________________________

Name (Please Print) Title

_________________________________________ ______________________________

Signature Date

2020 Love Your Block Grant Application

The deadline for submitting your application is 3:00 p.m., Friday, April 17, 2020.

FOR HNP OFFICE USE ONLY

Date Received:

W-9 included?

Received By:

Section I: Applicant Profile

Association/Organization Name:

Mailing Address:

Phone Number:

Web Site (if applicable):

Did your Organization receive funding last year?

 Yes  No

If yes, for what?: ______________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Proposed Project Location: _____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

President:

President Phone #:

Email:

Contact information of the person responsible for writing/implementing Grant & including W-9 (Primary Contact):

Name:

Title/Affiliation:

Phone Number:

Address:

Email:

Secondary Contact:

Name:

Title/Affiliation:

Phone Number:

Address:

Email:

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Section II: Project Proposal

1. What is the Association/Organization’s objective in using the Love Your Block Grant funds?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. Please give a description of the proposed project. What is the purpose and how does it fit with the

mission of Love Your Block?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. Describe how your Organization will match the Love Your Block Grant funds.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

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4. How will this project benefit your neighborhood?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

5. If this project is a part of a larger plan, please explain the relationship and indicate the final

expectations.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

6. How will this project promote volunteer-ism and benefit your neighborhood and nearby Little Rock

residents?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

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Section III: Budget

Please specify the amount you are requesting, up to $1,000.00. $ ______________________

Expense

(materials, supplies, etc.)

Total Cost

Amount Requested from

Love Your Block

Details

(purpose, timing, in-kind, etc.)

Total

Submit your application via:

Email: lwells@littlerock.gov

Fax: 501-399-3461 Attn: Lisa Wells

In-person:

City Hall

Department of Housing & Neighborhood Programs

500 West Markham, Ste. 120W

Little Rock, AR 72201

Attn: Lisa Wells

The deadline for submitting this application is 3:00 p.m., Friday, April 17, 2020

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