Neighborhood Grant Program

The City of St. Augustine administers the Neighborhood Grant Program through its Neighborhood Services Division. This program reflects the city’s long-standing commitment to supporting community development by providing small-scale financial assistance to neighborhood-based projects. The initiative is designed to empower both formally incorporated nonprofit organizations and informally organized neighborhood groups by giving them the tools and financial resources necessary to make visible and meaningful improvements to their communities. In addition to direct funding, the program also offers technical assistance from city staff to help applicants plan and execute their initiatives effectively. The purpose of the Neighborhood Grant Program is to strengthen neighborhoods by funding projects that promote enrichment, enhancement, and improvement at the local level. These projects may include physical beautification, cultural enrichment, community-building events, or other neighborhood-based initiatives that improve the quality of life. By focusing on relatively small-scale but impactful projects, the city aims to ensure funds are widely accessible to groups that might otherwise face barriers in accessing larger grant programs. The program provides funding up to $3,000 per approved project. While the funding ceiling is modest, the goal is to ensure that multiple neighborhoods and groups have opportunities to receive support for their ideas. Awards are not restricted to any one type of project, but applicants must demonstrate that their proposal aligns with the overarching intent of neighborhood enrichment. Funds are generally intended for direct project costs and may not be used for ineligible expenses such as political activity, repayment of debt, or activities outside the city’s jurisdiction. Matching funds or cost-sharing are not explicitly required, which lowers the barrier for participation. Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations and informally organized groups within the city limits of St. Augustine. Both established entities and smaller neighborhood associations are invited to apply. This inclusive eligibility design ensures that groups without formal nonprofit status can still compete for funding, provided they can demonstrate organizational capacity to manage the grant and implement the project. Applicants are expected to comply with city guidelines and must meet the minimum requirements for submission. Applications for the 2025 cycle will be accepted from Wednesday, October 1, 2025, through Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Submissions may be sent via email to the designated program inbox, by mail to the Neighborhood Services Division at PO Box 210, St. Augustine, FL 32085, or delivered in person to the office located in Lobby B, 4th Floor, 75 King Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084. The Neighborhood Grant Program Award Committee will review applications that meet basic eligibility and completeness standards. Notifications will follow review, though no fixed award announcement date was provided in the current notice. Primary program contacts include Jaime D. Perkins, Community Services Director, who oversees inquiries and applicant guidance via jperkins@citystaug.com. For media-related requests, Melissa Wissel, Communications Director, may be contacted at mwissel@citystaug.com. No formal pre-application steps, such as a letter of intent or concept paper, are required. The grant does not appear to operate on a recurring cycle, but the city may choose to open future rounds depending on funding availability. The streamlined process, modest award ceiling, and accessibility to informal neighborhood groups make this program a targeted tool for grassroots community improvement in St. Augustine.

Submit projects that clearly demonstrate neighborhood enrichment and improvement; ensure proposals are complete and received by the October 15 deadline.