Bringing Neighbors Together is a program of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa that provides grants to support neighborhoods in Black Hawk County. CFNEIA believes that bringing neighbors together is the key to creating a stronger community. As more neighbors get to know each other, all the residents of the neighborhood benefit.

Goals

Goals of the Bringing Neighbors Together Grants are:

• Empowering and strengthening the neighborhood residents, and, as a result, the community.
• Growing or establishing neighborhood associations.
• Supporting neighborhoods as they address issues or concerns

Funding Information

To help strengthen neighborhoods, CFNEIA awards grants ranging from $500 up to $1,250 to support creative and impactful neighborhood-centric, event-based programs in Black Hawk County.

Bringing Neighbors Together grants funds

Bringing Neighbors Together grants fund event-based projects and programs in Black Hawk County neighborhoods. The event must be:

• For the residents of the neighborhood (exclusively, or in some cases, primarily)
• Free to all residents of the neighborhood
• Taking place within the boundaries of the neighborhood (or, if necessary, close by)

Funding Priorities

While Bringing Neighbors Together grants can be used for basic events (like a neighborhood social event), it is the intent of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa to fund events that go beyond just one-time social events. funding priorities include: 

• Neighborhoods without established or active neighborhood associations
• Events in neighborhoods that demonstrate need (high crime rate, low/moderate income levels, etc.)
• Neighborhoods that haven’t received funding from this fund within the last three years.
• Programs that demonstrate creativity (more than just a neighborhood block party)
• Events that promote and support at least one of the focus areas of the Community Foundation (art and culture, education, environment, health, historic preservation, and human service).

Eligibility Criteria

• Any neighborhood in Black Hawk County is eligible for a Bringing Neighbors Together grant. A “neighborhood,” must align with its neighborhood association boundaries or an equivalent sized boundary if no such neighborhood association exists.
• Up to two adjoining neighborhoods can collaborate and apply together.
• The applicant, working in conjunction with the neighborhood, must be a classified by the IRS as a 501(c)(3), taxexempt non-profit organizations or government entities.

For more information, visit Community Foundation.