The East Tennessee Foundation (ETF) and the City of Knoxville are pleased to announce that funding is available through the Neighborhoods Small Grants Program (NSGP) to support projects in 2011. Low- to moderate-income neighborhoods and crime watch groups located in Knoxville are encouraged to apply for grants ranging from $500 to $3,000. The application deadline is Monday, March 7, 2011 (postmark date).

Organizations eligible for funding must be community-based groups run by residents who develop and execute their own solutions to neighborhood issues and problems. The Neighborhoods Small Grants Program, managed through East Tennessee Foundation, strives to strengthen Knoxville's low- to moderate-income neighborhoods by supporting a wide range of community-based initiatives through grants and technical assistance.

Proposals which will be given the highest consideration are those which propose projects that will strengthen the capacity of the neighborhood to build social capital - the ability of neighborhood residents to work together for common purposes. The 2011 NSGP will support projects occurring between June 1, 2011 and June 1, 2012.

To be eligible to submit a proposal, each neighborhood organization or crime watch group that is interested in applying for a grant must send at least one representative to the mandatory Pre-Application Workshop. The workshop will be held at the Cansler YMCA, 616 Jessamine Street, Knoxville, TN 37917, on Monday, February 7, 2011, 5:30 -7:00 p.m. A neighborhood organization may contact David Massey, Neighborhood Coordinator, to determine if it is low- to moderate-income (one of the eligibility requirements). David may be reached at 865-215-3232 or by e-mail at [email protected].

NSGP was founded in 1991 from a challenge grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. Since its establishment, the program has awarded over $463,000 to local neighborhoods. The program is made possible with funding support from the City of Knoxville's Community Development Department.

The application and guidelines are available online at www.easttennesseefoundation.org. To request a copy or for information, contact Jan Elston, Senior Program Officer for East Tennessee Foundation, at 865-524-1223 or [email protected].