The City of Eugene 2009 Neighborhood Matching Grant cycle opens August 1.  The popular community-building program has a total of $70,000 available for:

• Physical improvement projects that involve recreation or public safety facilities, natural resource features, public art and spaces or community gardens.
• Public school partnership projects that benefit school children and the immediate neighborhood.
• Neighborhood-based events and celebrations.
• Capacity building initiatives that serve to create, diversify or increase participation in a neighborhood-based organization or promote an understanding of issues important to neighborhood residents.

City staff will hold four public information sessions in the Tykeson Room of the Downtown Library to provide an overview of the grant guidelines and application process: 
• Thursday, August 7, 6:00 p.m.
• Saturday, August 9, 1:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, September 9, 6:00 p.m.
• Saturday, September 13, 1:00 p.m.

Proposals will be accepted from groups of people who live, work, or own property within the neighborhood boundary in which the project is located.  Proposals must be endorsed by the respective neighborhood association.  City funds requested must be matched by at least the same amount of cash donations, donated materials and supplies, or volunteer labor.  Requests for funds between $250 and $25,000 will be considered; the total project value may not exceed $50,000. 

A citizen advisory committee ranks the applications based on tangible neighborhood benefit, community involvement, project readiness and neighborhood match and makes recommendations to the City Council for funding. 

Grant guidelines and application materials are available on the City’s web site, www.eugene-or.gov/matchinggrants, and at the Permit and Information Center (Atrium Building-99 West 10th Ave.), the Downtown, Bethel and Sheldon libraries, the Amazon, Hilyard, Sheldon, and Peterson Barn Community Centers and the Campbell Senior Center. 

Proposals involving parks or public right-of-way are required to undergo a pre-review by November 14th. Final applications are due on January 30, 2009.  Awards will be announced in March 2009.  For more information about the Neighborhood Matching Grants Program, contact Michael Kinnison, Planning and Development Department, 682-5009, or michael.j.kinnison@ci.eugene.or.us