LIMA — Lima-Allen County Neighborhoods in Partnership was recently awarded a $50,000 grant from the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
The grant was presented to Mayor David Berger on behalf of LACNIP. The award was one of three Outstanding Achievement Awards awarded by USCM as part of the CommunityWINS Working/Investing in Neighborhood Stabilization grant program. The program is funded through the Wells Fargo Association.
An independent panel of judges, selected by The U.S. Conference of Mayors, determined the winning cities from a pool of 162 applicants in small, medium or large populations groups.
LACNIP plans to expand and improve its Community Pride cleanup programs, add to the existing community gardens program, and assist the city with maintenance of vacant properties. Funds will be used to purchase equipment such as a tractor with attachments for a variety of land functions, materials to construct greenhouses enabling year-round gardening, and to contract with an individual to oversee the program.
The city has struggled with the existence of many vacant properties that have continued to be unused, yet cost the city to maintain. LACNIP approached the city about using an empty fire station, located in a declining neighborhood where businesses were closing and housing stock was in disrepair, to create a resource center for the community.
This will also give the organization, which has existed for 20 years, relying strictly on volunteers, bringing all neighborhood associations together to partner with the city, county, businesses, other nonprofits, law enforcement, schools and universities, and developing programs to fulfill their mission and improving the aesthetics, safety and communication throughout the area, a home.
“Our 2015 CommunityWINS Grant Program gives the Conference an opportunity to showcase positive change happening now in our cities to make a difference in the lives of residents,” said Tom Cochran, CEO and executive director of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. “We are grateful to Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation for their support of the CommunityWINS Program, which also highlights the talent and commitment of mayors and city governments.”
