By Linda Horvath
City of Madison Planning Division
The Neighborhood Grant Program of the City of Madison Planning Division helps neighborhoods beautify gateways, create public gathering places, or build organizational capacity and leadership skills. In 2024, the city expects to award $25,000 in grants.
The application deadline is Feb. 26, at 4:30 pm. Eligible applicants include small groups of five or more residents, neighborhood associations and planning councils, nonprofits and centers of worship and business associations and other organizations engaged in community building and civic engagement activities. Community enhancement or physical improvements and neighborhood leadership and capacity building projects are eligible for funding.
Since it began in 1999, the Neighborhood Grant Program has helped residents and organizations that support neighborhoods complete about 350 different projects around the city. Some examples from 2023 include the Bayview Foundation Inc.’s mural “Hope Finds a Home” on their new apartment building at the corner of Regent Street and West Washington Avenue, the Eastmorland Community Center Ltd. public relations campaign, and the Greenbush Neighborhood CO. native garden at the Neighborhood House Inc. community center. Some examples from 2022 include Southwest Madison Action Coalition’s Leadership training series, Rooted WI Inc. and Lerdahl Neighborhood’s new interpretive and welcome signs and community dinners at Troy Farms, and the Junction Ridge Neighborhood Inc. multicultural festival.
The grant program provides funding, but neighbors’ ideas, determination and pride are behind the most successful projects. It’s time to get together with neighbors and make a plan for a 2024 project. Prospective applicants should inform their alderperson of their intention to apply and reach out to city staff Linda Horvath or Angela Puerta to explore project and applicant eligibility and for other guidance. The grant program and Common Council webpage addresses and city staff contact information are below.
2024 Neighborhood Grant Program webpage: cityofmadison.com/dpced/planning/ 2024-neighborhood-grants/3739
Find your alderperson at cityofmadison.com/council
Planning Division contacts:
Linda Horvath, 608-267-1131, lhorvath @cityofmadison.com
Angela Puerta, 608-267-8649, apuerta@cityofmadison.com