Neighborhood Participation Program

The online application for the 2025 Neighborhood Participation Program is now open! Please review the information below and submit a short preapplication by May 1, 2025. Preapplications will be vetted by staff as they are received, and eligible proposals will be provided with a link to the final application.

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Thank you to everyone who applied for last year's Neighborhood Participation Program!
City Council approved the recommended projects on September 23, 2024.  Learn more about the projects: Lakewood Speaks - Item 7 - Establishing Neighborhood Participation Program.

Program Details

Lakewood's Neighborhood Participation Program (NPP) offers grants of up to $60,000 for qualifying physical improvement projects that residents believe will make a difference in their neighborhood.

Examples of projects built through the Neighborhood Participation Program include:

  • Community gardens if located on school properties
  • New small park amenities such as: benches, games, play features, ballfield improvements (dugouts, fencing), trail improvements, etc.
  • Public art installations
  • Accessibility improvements (playground surfacing improvements, accessible play equipment, sidewalk and ramp accessibility)

Project Criteria

  • Organizers are Lakewood residents who live near the project area and are representing the neighborhood.
  • The project is located on publicly owned property.
  • The project provides a benefit to the neighborhood.
  • The funding request does not exceed $60,000.
  • The project is supported by the neighborhood’s residents and their signatures have been collected. This must include any adjacent property owners.
  • The project cannot be funded through a different City program that already exists (e.g., playground replacement, sidewalk repair, speed humps, street paving or repair, traffic signals, streetlights, etc.).

Prior to initiating the grant application, the applicant’s project must be vetted by the appropriate department staff and approved by the department director. See below for the application process.

Application Process

  1. Brainstorm project ideas with neighbors, keeping in mind the project criteria.
  2. Starting March 1, 2025, submit a preapplication form (that will be available on the NPP website) with the general details of the proposed project. This is a required step that must be completed by May 1, 2025.
  3. Project proposal will be vetted by the appropriate department staff to ensure that it meets the project criteria.
  4. If approved by the department director, the organizers will receive a link to the final application and may begin working on their submittal.
  5. Final application must be submitted by July 1, 2025, at 5:00 pm.

Additional Information

When submitting the final grant application, the applicant must include demonstrated support for the project through letters, petitions or other means, and signatures of support from property owners directly adjacent to the project. Park site projects need support from neighboring residences. Projects located on public school property must also include letters of support from the school principal and the school district facilities office. If the project is over $60,000, the support letter must also state that the remaining funding is secured by the school district and assign a project manager from the district to oversee the project and work with the applicant. Projects that are anticipated to go beyond the City’s existing grant dollars will not be approved unless the additional funding is already available to the applicant. For the full list of the program requirements, please see the application form.

Projects compete directly with all other applications received based on six selection categories.

  1. Neighborhood contribution: Is the neighborhood planning to contribute to the project? This is not required, but it is encouraged and applications that indicate neighborhood contribution through funding, labor, or maintenance may score higher.
  2. Benefit versus cost: How does the project benefit the neighborhood?
  3. Health and safety: How does the project improve the health and safety of the neighborhood?
  4. Adopted citywide plans: How does the project address goals identified in citywide plans, such as the Comprehensive Plan, Sustainability Plan, Community Resources Master Plan, park specific site plans, or others?
  5. Neighborhood support: Is there neighborhood support for the project? At least five resident signatures with addresses must be included with the application. The more signatures, the stronger the application. If there are affected directly adjacent property owners, their signatures with addresses must also be included.
  6. Project maintenance needs: What is the maintenance plan for the project? Projects that will not substantially add to the City's maintenance responsibilities may score higher in this category.

City Council makes the final selection of projects to be funded. After projects are selected, city staff works closely with the neighborhood to ensure the project meets the neighborhood's request.

Contact Information:

communityorg@lakewood.org

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