MATCHING GRANTS

GARDEN HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD FOUNDATION MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM

The Matching Grant Program, sponsored by Garden Hills Neighborhood Foundation (GHNF), is designed to assist Garden Hills residents to improve the Garden Hills neighborhood. Grants of between $100 and $5000 will fund various beautification projects by providing a dollar for dollar match for other locally-raised funds. A specific project should give Garden Hills Residents and Neighborhood Groups incentive to raise funds, build partnerships with businesses, and cultivate the spirit of volunteerism and community support. This process is designed to help groups complete a project dedicated not only to the improvement of their own lives, but also to enhancing the quality of life for Garden Hills residents and all of Atlanta.

Proposed projects must:

  • improve/beautify Garden Hills through a physical improvement
  • involve neighborhood and community residents
  • have long-standing, sustainable benefits
  • be located in a public space within the specific confines of Garden Hills
  • provide a maintenance plan for the upkeep of the completed project
  • be approved by the Garden Hills Civic Association Board

HOW DOES THE MATCH WORK?

GHNF will match dollar for dollar ($1:$1), up to a maximum of $5000, the funds raised and spent by an applicant on an approved project. In addition, donated materials to complete the project may also be used in calculating the applicant match.  All funds raised and matched must be used exclusively for the specified, approved project.

WHAT TYPE OF PROJECTS CAN BE FUNDED AND WHAT ARE THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS?

The program helps pay for physical improvements that provide tangible benefits to the Garden Hills neighborhood outside of just aesthetic improvements. The program will not pay for on-going operation or maintenance, such as upkeep of landscaping or repairs to monument signs.

All applicants will go through the neighborhood approval process, which includes the following steps:

  1. Identify and notify the immediately adjacent neighbors who may be impacted by the project. Provide proof that notification has taken place. If there are objections, address them and work with the neighbors to solve the issues.
  2. Present the project to the Garden Hills Civic Association Board of Directors and receive approval, which must be documented in the GHCA Board meeting minutes.
  3. Apply for and receive all required permits from the City of Atlanta or other governmental agency responsible for the area impacted by the project. Grant applications may be reviewed by the GHNF in partnership with the Garden Hills Civic Association, the City of Atlanta Parks Department and other City Departments to ensure the application includes all the necessary permits and permissions. All projects may be subject to inspection by the City and/or the Parks Department to ensure the work is compliant with the permitting requirements.
  4. If a contractor or other professional services are used for completion of the project, and the total project cost of their services exceeds $1000, the applicant must receive and document three (3) bids for the work.
  5. The applicant must identify how the project will be maintained in the future, including determining who will maintain it and how the maintenance will be funded.

WHEN MAY PROJECTS BE STARTED AND WHAT IS THE PROJECT COMPLETION DATE?

A project may be started only after the application has been approved by GHNF. All project work should be completed within approximately ninety (90) days of notification of awarding of a grant. Project deadlines may be extended on a case by case basis upon request to GHNF.

HOW ARE FUNDS DISBURSED TO GRANTEES?

Once an application is approved, the applicant may proceed with the project. Upon completion, GHNF will conduct an inspection to verify the work. If the project is deemed to be completed within the scope of the description in the approved application, then reimbursement will be provided once a complete itemized list of expenses with receipts/invoices is submitted. Reimbursements in the full amount of the approved matching amount will be made within 30 calendar days of inspection and receipt of expenses with receipts/invoices. No reimbursements for eligible expenses will be made if such expenses occur before an application is approved by the GHNF grant committee.

HOW & WHEN TO APPLY

Complete the online application below…

OR if you prefer paper, CLICK HERE, download & print the document, complete, scan the documents and return to grants@ghnf.org

You can also mail your application to us at:

Garden Hills Neighborhood Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 550504
Atlanta, GA 30355

Grant applications will be reviewed twice annually, in February and September. The deadline for applications to be reviewed in each cycle are February 1st and September 1st. Applicants will be notified of approval on or before the end of the calendar month in which their project is reviewed.

Questions? Contact grants@ghnf.org.

GHNF logo

Matching Grant Program Application

Fields marked with a * are required.

All projects must be reviewed and approved by the Garden Hills Civic Association. Please provide the date of the meeting when your project was reviewed and received approval from the GHCA.  If it has not yet been reviewed and approved, please identify the date of the meeting when you anticipate receiving approval.

If you have drawings, design specifications or schematics, please upload these to help better describe the project:

Please upload documents that verify the approval of neighbors impacted by this project.

Almost any project impacting public property will require some sort of permit from the City of Atlanta department or other public entity responsible for the property.  Applicants will need to demonstrate that research on the required permits has been conducted and that any necessary permitting has been acquired before matching funds will be released.

Provide  a list of the resources needed to complete the project, with the quantity and cost for each resource.