The City of Valparaiso will be accepting applications for 2026 Neighborhood Improvement Grants through March 1, 2026. Pictured here is a pollinator planting created by neighbors in Jefferson Park with the support of a Neighborhood Improvement Grant. (Photo provided, City of Valparaiso)
In Valparaiso, the city is inviting neighborhoods to submit applications for the annual Neighborhood Improvement Grant program, announced Maggie Clifton, Valparaiso’s Community Engagement Director. Previous projects have included tree planting, neighborhood signage, and bus stop benches. Guidelines have been updated for 2026, setting the maximum amount at $20,000 per neighborhood, a news release said, and applications for the upcoming grant cycle will be due on March 1, 2026, with grant recipients announced by March 15, 2026. “The Neighborhood Improvement Grant program has succeeded in funding 139 projects since we introduced the program in 2018,” said Clifton. “The City is pleased to lead this program which brings neighbors together for a common project of their own design. With matching funds, these grants have resulted in more than $1.3 million in neighborhood improvements over the past seven years,” she said. To learn more, including how to apply, visit the Community Engagement page at Valpo.us .
