City to revamp Small and Simple Projects grants

SAM TAYLOR

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BELLINGHAM - Officials want the city's Small and Simple Projects fund to get back to its roots.

On Monday, Aug. 11, Linda Stewart, the city's neighborhood services coordinator, will speak with City Council members about trying to refocus the program on projects centered around and led by neighborhoods.

Stewart said in recent years the grants have often been going to nonprofit or community-based organizations and schools, and the initial idea of the program was to allow neighborhoods to bring those types of groups into their folds to coordinate together.

The city wants to do that again.

"This would be a way to engage more residents, I think, in getting folks more involved in the neighborhood associations," Stewart said. "That's what it's all about."

In 2007, organizations such as the Whatcom Art Guild, RE Sources and Cornwall Park Neighborhood Association used the grant program for everything from planning for Fountain Plaza refurbishments to Broadway-Meridian Street improvements and Art by the Lake.

The city's Planning & Community Development Department has a budget of $35,000 for projects.

During the 2008 cycle, however, Travis Cary, who managed the program this year but has since left the city, was able to get other city departments to give money for projects, resulting in 23 projects receiving a total of $44,188.

The major goals of the program, under the revision, would be to increase physical activity opportunities for children and families, support early learning programs and encourage development of neighborhood collaboration projects, according to council agenda documents.

Stewart said the goal is to avoid upsetting nonprofits and other organizations by the refocusing to neighborhood-led projects.

"I hope we don't (upset them)," she said. "The invitation is still going to be there to participate."

Reach Sam Taylor at samtaylor@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2263. Read his Politics Blog at TheBellinghamHerald.com/blogs.

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Friday, Aug. 08, 2008

City to revamp Small and Simple Projects grants

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