The City of Ottumwa is seeking applications for its Blocks to Neighborhoods Grant Program to provide direct grants for exterior property upgrades.
Donor Name: City of Ottumwa
State: Iowa
City: Ottumwa
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/26/2023
Size of the Grant: Up to $2,500
Details:
Funding for this program includes $40 thousand in matching funds from the Ottumwa Legacy Foundation.
Bringing together at least three property owners in each neighborhood, the program looks to raise values, build community and make change block-by-block.
The Blocks to Neighborhoods Challenge Grant encourages groups of neighbors to collaborate on exterior improvements to their properties in order to begin revitalizing Ottumwa’s neighborhoods and inspire others to reinvest.
Funding Information
A minimum of 3 properties in close proximity are required to participate in the program. Each property owner fills out their own application.
Each participating property owner in the Blocks to Neighborhoods Program is eligible to requires a 50% match on exterior improvements (visible from the street), up to $2,500.
- Spend $500 get a $1,000 match
- Spend $1,250, get a $2,500 match
Types of Improvements are eligible
- Porch and soffit repair
- Porch painting
- Porch Construction
- Paint for siding and trim
- Exterior lighting
- Flower boxes
- Front doors
- Sidewalk repairs
- Front yard landscaping
- Mailboxes, house plaques and signs
- Shutters
- New windows
- New siding
- Other projects that are visible from the street
Eligibility Criteria
This program is available to all property owners, including landlords.
Ineligible Projects
The following are ineligible projects:
- Non-residential buildings,
- Interior improvements,
- Construction of new dwellings or accessory buildings and projects which primarily benefit a home-based occupation.
Selection Criteria
The number of projects selected for the 2023 Blocks to Neighborhoods Program will depend on available funding. If the number of applications exceeds committed funding, a competitive selection process will take the following factors into account: completeness of application, proximity of participating properties, number of participating properties in a one to two block area, teamwork on projects, impact of curb appeal on the participating addresses, plan to sustain momentum and/or act as a catalyst for further improvement in the neighborhood.
For more information, visit City of Ottumwa.
