Community Grants
Funding for Community Projects
As a municipality, the town of Perdido could be eligible for millions of dollars in grant funding to beautify and enhance our local community. Government-lite cities often rely on a grant writer to pursue funding opportunities for various projects. The Florida League of Cities provides more information and guidance on finding and securing grants.
Compiled below is a sampling of grants that our community could consider. This list is by no means exhaustive but simply intended to give a few examples of grant programs available to communities like ours, should Perdido decide to become a town. We encourage you to research additional grant opportunities for your specific concern and area of interest. For instance, start with a simple search for “grants for septic,” “grants for arts,” “grants for parks,” “grants for beaches,” or “grants for general aviation,” and see what opportunities come up that could build value, right here in the Perdido community!
Community Development Block Grant Program
The Community Development Block Grant is a program for Florida’s small cities which has funded projects such as water and sewer improvements, rehabilitation of substandard housing, street and sidewalk improvements, economic development, downtown revitalization, facade improvements, streetscaping, underground utilities, park facilities, community centers, and stormwater improvements.
National Endowment for the Arts Project Grants
Grants for Arts Projects is the NEA’s most extensive grants program for organizations, providing comprehensive and expansive community funding opportunities. Grants could be used for a variety of purposes, from arts and cultural festivals to decorative murals that beautify areas of blight. See NEA’s website for success stories of grantees, artists, arts organizations, and events around the country.
National Endowment for the Arts Our Town Grants
Our Town is the NEA’s creative placemaking grants program. Through project-based funding, the program supports activities that integrate arts, culture, and design into local efforts that strengthen communities. Our Town projects advance local economic, physical, or social outcomes in communities, ultimately laying the groundwork for systems change and centering equity.
Keep America Beautiful Grants
The Unify and Beautify Community Grant supports communities in preventing littering, promoting recycling, and building clean, green, and beautiful neighborhoods. Keep America Beautiful seeks innovative grant applications for programs that will unify communities as they implement community improvement projects.
FDOT Beautification Grants
The Beautification Grant is available to Florida local governmental entities interested in providing landscaping and irrigation along State transportation facilities. Funds from the grant may be used to purchase and install plant materials, soil amendments, and irrigation systems. Landscape projects funded by the Beautification Grant are typically used on FDOT Right-of-Ways. Still, they can sometimes extend onto publicly owned property that is contiguous to and visible from the FDOT right of way.
National Environmental Education Foundation Grants
The Perdido area is rich in biological diversity, and many residents are still learning of the treasures its holds. NEEF offers a variety of grants and awards to help organizations engage their local community to improve the environment, increase diversity, and expand their work locally through education and service. Grants and awards focus on environmental education, both formal and informal.
The RESTORE Act
The Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act) was passed in 2012 by Congress. It allocates funds from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill to affected communities for a wide range of purposes, from beaches, local parks, tourism, water quality, infrastructure, etc. Communities in the panhandle frequently use RESTORE funds to help buy lands for public use.
Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land helps state and local governments design, pass, and implement legislation and ballot measures that create new public funds for parks and land conservation. TPL has assisted in passing 572 ballot measures — an 82 percent success — creating $79.6 billion in voter-approved funding for parks, land conservation, and restoration. Day one of their incorporation, Fort Myers Beach secured a $1M TPL grant to purchase the Mound House property.
The Proposed Area
After speaking with residents across the greater Perdido area, the boundaries illustrated on the maps below were identified as what many considered to be “Perdido.” Residents often referred to themselves as living in Perdido Key, Perdido Bay, or Perdido. Additionally, the borders corresponded almost exactly to the boundaries of four voting precincts (numbered on one of the maps below), and precisely followed boundaries of US census tract blocks.
Again, the proposed boundaries for Perdido are for research purposes, and a starting point for the feasibility study. During the study process, the feasibility study firm will also look at bordering areas that could be considered, or areas that could be adjusted given input from local residents. One can reasonably expect to see a few variations on these maps during the study process.
