NeighborWorks® Pocatello (NWP) is excited to announce the winners of the inaugural year of the Spruce Up the Block grant program. The resident group called the Day Street Dwellers have won the Spruce Up the Block Grant for 2020. The Spruce up the Block grant program provides matching funds of up to $1,000 per property to this team of six Pocatello neighbors. These matching funds help the group of neighbors make exterior improvements on their homes during the summer and fall months.
The Day Street Dwellers neighborhood team worked together to apply for the matching grant. This collaboration will continue as they work together to complete their individual projects. They will work together through Summer and Fall to complete projects to improve the exteriors of their homes.
The residents will have an investment in their own projects as well as the grant funds. This is a matching grant program meaning that the Spruce Up the Block program doubles the investment that each resident provides up to $1,000. Through the grant, and neighborly teamwork the projects will be completed by the end of October.
The Spruce Up the Block Program is designed with three main goals in mind. First, neighbors get out and get to know one another. Second, the neighborhood becomes a more beautified and vibrant area through this process. And three, that momentum is created for the neighborhood to continue working together in future endeavors to create a more connected and revitalized community.
“I’ve seen firsthand how programs like this have helped uplift neighborhoods in other communities that are similar to Pocatello.” Said Mark Dahlquist, Executive Director of NeighborWorks Pocatello,” I really like the neighbor to neighbor approach and the impact it can make. This is truly something to be excited about.”
The Spruce Up the Block program can include small projects such as painting the exterior, putting in window boxes or fixing a railing. The funds can also be used to go toward larger projects such as sidewalk repair, lampposts, siding or roofing repairs.
NWP Staff will also be available to provide the Day Street Dwellers with help in the areas of planning and organizing their projects. NWP also offers the service of a tool lending library that will be available to the residents to use on their projects. NWP looks forward to expanding this program in the future so that more and more neighborhood groups can participate in the Spruce Up the Block Program.
A much safer porch with some real beautification projects coming along nicely!
This fence received a much needed refresh and helped to improve the appearance of the entire neighborhood.
While the Spruce Up the Block Grant did not fund this entire renovation the funds were able to help get this home to the finished product. What a beautiful upgrade for this neighborhood!
This Spruce Up the Block grant recipient was able to freshen up their fence with a fresh paint job and make their front steps safer by adding a handrail!
