NPU-S Community Impact Grants

Every year, the City of Atlanta partners with its Neighborhood Planning Units to send out Community Impact Grants (CIGs). These small-dollar grants fund programs to improve the community in four areas:

• Neighborhood Enhancement projects to enhance the appearance, safety, and livability of the neighborhood’s public spaces - streetscapes, gateways, neighborhood business areas, activation of unused public spaces and so forth.
• Leadership and Capacity Building projects to improve the organizational capacity of local organizations that serve the public in addressing issues, improving conditions, and enhancing the quality of life within the neighborhood.
• Community Engagement and Awareness projects to promote a sense of community, raise awareness of the NPU System, increase participation in the civic process, and so forth.
• Development Assistance projects to encourage productive communication among residents, developers, and other stakeholders during the development review process, including financial assistance for impact studies and third-party consultants.

Every year NPU-S works to be awarded the maximum $6,500 in CIG funding to distribute for projects within the NPU. If your neighborhood organization or civic group has a project that could use a little seed money, why not put in an application? We strive to make it as easy as possible and will be here to guide you through the process.

Please remember that projects do not have to be limited to only one neighborhood or area, so we encourage you to THINK BIG! Projects that have a more substantial impact on a wider range of the community or that show partnership between different neighborhoods often get preferential consideration in the approval process.

Submission Deadlines

NPU-S must have its grant applications approved by vote and submitted to the City Planner’s Office by February 29, 2024. Since the last NPU meeting before that due date is our February 15 meeting, initial grant applications must be submitted by the February 11 Executive Committee meeting for review and comment.

Changes for 2024

The City has added additional requirements to grant applications that are designed to tighten up the process and increase accountability to the funds being disbursed and spent. To meet these additional requirements, the NPU-S Leadership has decided to implement the following changes for all projects:

• All project proposals must be accompanied by a fully researched project plan. Per the City, these proposals must include accurate cost estimates supported by vendor documentation, timelines for deliverables, accountability and responsibility for funds spent and receipts, and a tangible benefit to the community.
• All proposals must identify a person that will be the responsible Project Manager for the project. This person will be the primary contact person for the NPU and/or City regarding their project, along with being responsible for coordinating the deliverables and providing the receipts back to the NPU in a timely manner.
• All proposals must be approved by the NPU-S Body before submission to the City. However, they do not have to be 100% completed by this date, just substantially so and with a plan in place to complete the proposal by the February 29 submission deadline.
• Funding for projects will not be provided without these requirements being met.
• NPU-S will submit one comprehensive Grant Proposal to the City that incorporates all approved project proposals. This is intended to polish the proposals and utilize consistent NPU-S branding across the overall proposal. Representatives of the City Planner’s Office have stated in preparation meetings that the better researched and presented the proposal is, the more likely the NPU will receive full funding initially, as well as potential additional funding later in the year.
• All projects must complete a closeout report that documents the execution of the project, reconciles funds spent, and shows the deliverable impact on the community. These Project Closeout Reports will be due no later than November 1, 2024, unless the project is not scheduled for completion by that time. (Please note that projects extending into the Holiday Season are not advised.)

We have implemented these additional requirements, as well as the individual project roles, to maximize the possible Community Impact Grant funding from the City, as well as position us to potentially be awarded additional funding later in the year if it becomes available.

The NPU-S Treasurer (Matthew Quinn) and Assistant Secretary (Nick Hess) will serve at the NPU-S level as Project Coordinators for 2024, assisting and guiding the Project Managers through the CIG process. We will help to refine and complete approved proposals as we approach the submission deadline, then support the Project Managers through completion and submission of Project Closeout Reports.

We will be holding a virtual meeting Saturday, February 3 at 4:00 pm to orient the Project Managers to the new process and assist with beginning the Project Proposals. Anyone with a project idea is encouraged to attend! We will help you refine and explore the idea’s viability and start your project proposal! Register to attend the meeting at http://tiny.cc/NPU-SCommunityImpact.

Grant Restrictions

Please keep in mind as you develop your proposals that the City grant program will not award grant funding to or for the following:

• Individuals
• Capital campaigns
• Endowment funds for for-profit entities
• Fundraising events
• Government agencies or departments
• Lobbying efforts
• Political contributions
• Religious organizations for religious purposes
• Single business donation(s)
• Food/Parties (though refreshments can be incorporated into an approved event)
• Legal services
• Electronics (i.e. iPads, cameras, computers, televisions, etc.)
• Equipment (i.e. lawn mower, tools, etc.)

 

Questions? Contact us at CIG@npu-s.org and we will be happy to help!