Sunday, March 30, 2008

Hillsborough County Mini Grant Program

On March 29, 2008 Hillsborough County held its fifth annual Neighborhoods Conference at Hillsborough County Community College, just across the street from Raymond James Stadium. Every county office was represented, and a huge variety of seminars were offered ranging from learning about Robert's Rules of Order, to Enforcing Community Rules and Regs, learning about Senior Services, and on and on.

Rich Siddens and I attended this conference, and I can't wait for the next Board meeting to bring the Grant writing information I learned to our membership. I just learned that other associations wrote grants and got new chairs for their clubhouse. (Duh?) Others had old signs repainted with grant money, and front landscaping replaced completely with grant money from Hillsborough County. I learned that this has been going on for years and years.

There are four different types of grants, and we can apply for each of them. These include the Neighborhood Mini-grant (($1500) for signs, landscaping, tables and chairs, pavillions, things that help bring people together. We bring people together all the time. Our Junglelandia grills COULD HAVE been replaced with county funding, if anyone would have applied.

The Commnity Clean-up mini-grant ($2500) will provide gloves, bags, tee shirts, etc. to organize a clean-up movement. This maybe something our Bayside West Neighborhood Assn will want to do, but we could also do it here in Regency Cove, if the need is identified. We can always send a crew out to pick up debris.

The Low Volume Irrigation Mini-Grant ($2500) may help us irrigate the replanting of Boulevard 7. We may need to break up some concrete in the median there.

The Tree Program Mini Grant ($2500) assists associations in planting Florida -friendly tree plantings on community property to be enjoyed by all.

Thousands of dollars of grants are offered annually by our county. I think its about time Regency Cove applied and benefitted. Its about time!

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