Once a year, the city's Neighborhood Services Division provides three awards of $1,200 each for the Neighborhood Identification Sign Program. Delray Beach Neighborhood Planner Jennifer Costello and four members of the Neighborhood Advisory Council look over the submissions by residents and decide who will receive a grant check of up to $1,200 used to support the development of neighborhood identification signs.
“We do this on a yearly basis. This is not federal stimulus money but part of a Neighborhood Pride Grant. Criteria to be considered is areas that are in the public right of way,” Costello said.
The deadline for local neighborhoods to submit an application is July 31. Costello said the signs should include tangible neighborhood benefit, funding, neighborhood vision and creativity, community involvement and maintenance.
“It’s up to the neighborhood to design the sign and put creativity in process. Really it’s: What you feel describes the neighborhood? If awarded one of neighborhood pride grants, they can take the sign design to the sign company of that neighborhood’s choice,” Costello said.
Grant guidelines and applications are available in the Community Improvement Department - City Hall, 100 NW First Ave.; the Neighborhood Resource Center, 141 SW 12th Ave.; and on www.mydelraybeach.com. Costello said completed application packages must be received by the City of Delray Beach’s Neighborhood Advisory Council, c/o Jennifer Costello, Neighborhood Planner, 100 NW First Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444, no later than 5 p.m. than July 31. Award recipients will be announced on Aug. 17.
Call Jennifer Costello at 561-243-7228 or e-mail Costello@ci.delray-beach.fl.us for more information.