Neighborhood & business grant applications due Feb. 15 |
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Do you know a neighborhood that could benefit from a $25,000 grant? Or a business that needs a facelift?
Check out the list below to see which grant deadlines are quickly approaching.
Neighborhood Matching Grants
The Neighborhood Matching Grants program awards funding to eligible neighborhood-based organizations for community improvement projects. Organizations can submit applications to receive up to $25,000 for projects ranging from landscaping and bike racks to Little Free Libraries and lighting upgrades. Organizations are also required to match the funds received with cash, volunteer labor or in-kind donations.
Neighborhood Matching Grants are awarded four times each year, with the next round of applications due Sunday, Feb. 15.
Need a little bit more time to prepare your application? After Feb. 15, the next application deadline is Wednesday, April 15. Pre-application workshops for the April deadline will be held at Old City Hall, located at 600 East Trade Street, at noon on March 4 and 11 and 6 p.m. on March 5 and 12.
For more information, visit nbs.charlottenc.gov.
Facade Improvement Grant
NBS’ Facade Improvement Grant assists businesses and commercial property owners with improving their building’s appearance. In doing so, the program helps bring signs, parking and landscaping into conformance with current codes.
As part of the program, the grant provides eligible businesses or property owners with 50 percent reimbursement for certain architectural renovation expenses. Sixty percent reimbursement may be available on a case-by-case basis for businesses who utilize a certified Small Business Enterprise firm.
Applications are due Sunday, Feb. 15. For more information, contact Veronica Mosley at vmosley@charlottenc.gov.
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Mayor's Mentoring Alliance honors local mentors, mentees at annual awards ceremony |
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On Jan. 22, the Mayor’s Mentoring Alliance celebrated National Mentoring Month by honoring local mentors at its annual awards ceremony.
During the ceremony, awards were presented to Charlotte’s mentor, mentee, best practices agency, group mentors and business partner of the year.
Rindy Kirkman was named Mentor of the Year, an honor awarded to a mentor who has worked tirelessly to make an impact on youth. In addition to implementing tutoring and summer reading programs for children at Woodstone Apartments, Kirkman also developed an onsite community library for all of the residents in the apartment complex.
Also receiving awards during the ceremony were: 100 Black Men of Charlotte for Group Mentors of the Year, Bank of America for Business Partner of the Year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Charlotte for Best Practices Agency of the Year, and Diamonique Burton for Mentee of the Year.
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CharlotteBusinessResources.com launches disaster preparedness webpage |
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CharlotteBusinessResources.com, the City’s small business web portal, recently launched a Disaster Preparedness & Recovery webpage to provide business owners with the tools and resources needed to maintain business continuity in the event of inclement weather or other unforeseen business disruptions.
In order to provide relevant and timely content, staff collaborated with experts from the City’s Emergency Management team, government agencies and businesses that provide emergency readiness services to business owners.
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Share your neighborhood's story at Jane's Walk 2015 |
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The City of Charlotte is participating in this year's Jane’s Walk, an annual festival that connects people to their neighborhoods, neighbors and communities. During a Jane’s Walk, participants can learn about their communities, celebrate what makes them unique and discuss ways to capitalize on successes. Residents are also able to brainstorm ideas to tackle community challenges and solve problems.
Jane’s Walk Weekend in Charlotte will be held May 1-3. In preparation for the festival, Jane’s Walk will host free workshops where communities can discover their neighborhood’s story or find facts and information to support the stories they already know. Attendees will learn how to connect with community data -- including historic and natural assets -- and meet experts responsible for studying and maintaining community history. Attendees will also learn how to host a Jane’s Walk for their neighborhood.
The following workshops are free and open to the public:
Tuesday, March 3
6 to 8 p.m.
Midwood International and Cultural Center
1817 Central Avenue
Saturday, March 7
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Beatties Ford Regional Library
2412 Beatties Ford Road
Neighborhoods that are interested in hosting a walk can visit www.janeswalk.org/charlotte for more information.
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Neighborhood Board Retreat hosts nearly 200 residents
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On Feb. 7, the City of Charlotte hosted its semiannual Neighborhood Board Retreat. Twenty-two neighborhoods and nearly 200 local residents attended the event, making it the largest board retreat yet.
During the retreat, attendees received guidance with planning yearly goals in their communities, a $1,500 Neighborhood Matching Grant credit incentive for eligible neighborhoods, expert support from staff and community resources, a customized Quality of Life Study report and more.
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