“Little Libraries” such as this one in Old Town/Mutter Gottes are among the local projects in line for funding from Covington’s new Neighborhood Grant Program.
New grant program recommends 10 ideas for City funds
COVINGTON, Ky. - A water fountain. A music and soul food festival. A “Little Library.” Sidewalk planters. A tent for a Halloween party. Dog waste stations.
Small improvements partially funded by the City of Covington will soon be popping up around the City’s neighborhoods, and the list of projects is an eclectic bunch.
The improvements represent the first round of the newly created Neighborhood Grant Program, designed to help communities improve their physical appearance and build social cohesion through beautification projects, blight removal, and special events.
Ten grants are being recommended to the Covington City Commission for approval. After hearing the recommendations at a caucus meeting this past Tuesday, the Commission added them to its consent agenda for this coming Tuesday, June 11.
“With the program being new, we didn’t know what to expect, but we’re thrilled with this initial list of applications,” said Ken Smith, director of Covington’s Neighborhood Services Department. “They’re very different from each other, and that’s because the ideas came directly from the neighborhoods.”
City staff scored the applications using a variety of measures, including feasibility, need, local support, impact, and sustainability. It was looking for projects from neighborhood-oriented groups that could be quickly implemented.
The list:
- Lewisburg - $800 - “Little Libraries” at neighborhood landmarks.
- Eastside -- $4,850 - Music and Soul Food Festival.
- Latonia -- $1,500 - Sidewalk planters at Ritte’s Corner.
- Latonia -- $1,500 - Water cart for sidewalk planters.
- Peaselburg - $3,400 - Banners and support for a 4th of July parade.
- Westside - $4,360 - Tent and supplies for its annual Halloween event.
- MainStrasse Village - $3,600 - Flower pots, dog waste stations, community garden.
- Eastern 4 neighborhoods - $1,246 - Neighborhood summer gathering (music and food).
- Historic Licking-Riverside - $4,853.65 - Water fountain and irrigation for George Rogers Clark Park.
- Levassor Park - $4,500 - Block party, planters, banners, yard signs.
The City set $60,000 aside for the program’s first year. A second round of applications will be sought this fall. Grants came in two levels: small ($250-$1,500) and large ($1,501-$5,000), and neighborhoods are restricted to one large or two small grants per year.
The City held an information meeting in April to explain the grant guidelines and answer questions.
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