City of Lakewood’s Neighborhood Participation Program

The City of Lakewood’s Neighborhood Participation Program (NPP) offers an opportunity for residents to apply for grants of up to $60,000 for physical improvement projects that directly benefit their neighborhoods. The program emphasizes resident-driven initiatives that enhance public spaces, such as community gardens on school properties, park improvements, public art installations, and accessibility upgrades. To qualify, projects must be located on publicly owned property, benefit the local neighborhood, and must not duplicate existing city programs (e.g., playground replacements, sidewalk repairs). Residents must show demonstrated neighborhood support, including signatures from adjacent property owners, and, if applicable, letters of support from school administrators for school property projects. Projects exceeding $60,000 must show that additional secured funding is available. The application process includes submitting a short preapplication by May 1, 2025. Upon departmental vetting and approval, eligible applicants will be invited to complete the full application by July 1, 2025, at 5:00 PM. City Council will make the final selection of projects based on six evaluation categories: neighborhood contribution, benefit versus cost, health and safety, alignment with citywide plans, neighborhood support, and project maintenance needs. City staff will assist approved projects throughout implementation to ensure that they align with the original neighborhood vision. For questions, applicants may contact the City of Lakewood’s community organization email at communityorg@lakewood.org or call 303-987-7000.