Protect. Empower. Strengthen.

Goal

Make neighborhoods better places to live, work, play, and shop by providing neighborhood-based organizations with grants to help finance neighborhood improvement projects.

Program Overview

Each fiscal year, which begins July 1, Richland County Council awards monies to the matching grant program. So that projects may commence at the beginning of the fiscal year, all applications must be submitted by 4:30 pm March 15, 2012. Applicants will compete for grants with other organizations. Applicants may request up to $1,500.00 per fiscal year. All grants are approved by County Council. Neighborhoods must provide a match for the amount of monies requested. The match may be in the form of volunteer hours, cash, or in-kind.

Eligible Projects

Projects must fit into one of the following categories

• Organization Development
• Examples: Membership drives, program flyers, newsletters, etc.
• Education/Recreation Initiatives
• Examples: After school tutoring, student recognition programs, community garden, sports camp, etc.
• Public Safety
• Examples: National night out, crime watch signs, crime prevention programs, etc.

Ineligible projects include, but are not limited to: flower/tree plantings in common areas, pool repairs for a private pool, home repairs for personal property, etc.

Eligible Participants

• Neighborhood Organizations within Richland County

Application Deadline

Opens: 9:00am, January 19, 2012
Closes: 4:30pm,  March  15, 2012

Submit Application to:
Neighborhood Improvement Program
2020 Hampton Street, P.O. Box 192
Columbia, SC 29202
or
Email: GrateL@rcgov.us