Know Your Neighbors Grant

The City of Palo Alto's Know Your Neighbors Grant is a local funding initiative intended to strengthen community bonds among residents by supporting neighborhood-level events and activities. This grant program, administered by the City’s Community Services Department, is open exclusively to residents of Palo Alto and aims to promote civic engagement, cross-generational interaction, and community identity through grassroots events. The City encourages neighborhood cohesion by providing financial support for gatherings and events that foster meaningful connections and communication among neighbors. Funding decisions and awards are determined based on eligibility and on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants must be Palo Alto residents and may act as individuals or representatives of formal or informal neighborhood groups or associations. The proposed activities must be initiated and supported by residents of the neighborhood in which they occur and must demonstrably benefit that neighborhood. Qualifying events include block parties, neighborhood safety meetings, cultural and multigenerational gatherings, and other innovative community-building activities. Importantly, all events must be held within Palo Alto city limits and comply with the City’s Zero Waste Policies. The grant provides two funding tiers: up to $700 for events organized by individual residents and up to $1200 for those hosted by neighborhood associations. Funded expenses may include food (excluding alcohol), entertainment, permit fees, rentals, advertising, and material costs necessary for executing the activity. However, certain expenses are ineligible for reimbursement, such as staff stipends, alcohol, tobacco, private transportation costs, and materials for individual benefit or political purposes. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year, with a minimum lead time of two weeks prior to the planned event. Applicants are required to complete and email a signed application form. Once approved, grantees will receive a formal Grant Agreement. Reimbursement requires submission of receipts and an evaluation report within 30 days of the event’s conclusion or by the second Friday in June, whichever is sooner. The program operates under an annual budget approved by the Palo Alto City Council and may be suspended or canceled at the City Manager’s discretion. Events must remain open to all members of the public and may not charge admission. Evaluation of applications considers five core impact areas: enhancing neighbor communication, community pride, multigenerational and cultural inclusion, event innovation, and the strengthening of neighborhood governance structures. Projects may require permits, which are the responsibility of the applicant. Interested individuals can submit questions or applications via email to KYNgrants@paloalto.gov or contact (650) 463-4902 for further information. The City of Palo Alto is located at 250 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301.