Time is running out for Bristol, Tennessee neighborhoods to submit their applications for the Neighborhood Grant Program. The application deadline is May 31, 2017. Additionally, applicants are required to attend a Bristol Exchange session as part of the grant process. The final session will be held on Tuesday, May 23rd, at 6 p.m. in the Frank Winston Auditorium at Tennessee High School.
The 2017 program will award up to $5,000 for projects in residential neighborhoods that demonstrate a public benefit along with neighborhood support. To be clear, this is not a loan and does not require reimbursement; it is a grant of funds that may be utilized in a variety of ways. Examples of qualifying projects may include, but are not limited to:
• Neighborhood identification (gateway signs, plaques, or flags)
• Community vegetable gardens, playgrounds, and “pocket parks”
• Neighborhood litter cleanups
• Beautification projects
• Community and bus benches
• Street trees
• Public art
• Sidewalk repair (in conjunction with the Sidewalk Program)
The project areas must be located within the Bristol, Tennessee city limits and be located on public property or city right-of-way, though residents are certainly encouraged to work with our city staff to assist with solutions that may involve private property as well.
“We are excited to be able to offer this opportunity,” said Cherith Marshall, Senior Planner with the City of Bristol, Tennessee. She added, “We are always eager to work with dedicated neighbors who are truly the foundation that our community is built on.”
Now in its second year, the program, administered by the Community Development Department, is designed to assist with the implementation of neighborhood enhancements and other projects that improve neighborhood identity, build community pride, and benefit the public at large.
The grant award recipient for the 2016 grant cycle was the Middlebrook neighborhood. Their project sought to enhance the neighborhood in the form of lighting at the subdivision entrance, both for safety and for aesthetic purposes. The project improved neighborhood identity by increasing visibility of the entrance sign. Lack of lighting of the entrance at night had been a problem in the past and increased lighting of both the sign and wall improves visibility and prevents potential traffic issues.
For more information about the grant, or to apply, please visit www.bristoltn.org and click the link for the Neighborhood Grant Program, or contact Cherith Marshall, Senior Planner, at 423-989-5514 or [email protected].
