By Carisa Biesecker

It isn't everyday that neighborhoods have the chance to receive free money from the county, but recently four Riverview area neighborhoods benefited from the Neighborhood Mini-Grant program through the Hillsborough County Office of Community Relations.

Throughout the county, 70 neighborhoods received grants after applying through the county for the reward. Of these neighborhoods, the four Riverview area communities are Boyette Springs, which collected $1,250 for CERT supplies, Creekside, which gained $1,500 for community playground improvements, Riverwatch, which accumulated $1,500 for a personal health program and Summerview Oaks, which is creating a youth recreational room with the $1,450 it received.  

Referencing her neighborhood's win, Creekside HOA member Jeannie Allen states, "It was wonderful, very exciting and just great to bring something to the community and to our kids." The community used the money to pay for a merry-go-round as an addition to the neighborhood's already existing playground.

Thanks to the grant, neighbors can join together to brainstorm projects needed for their neighborhood. Projects can involve neighborhood identity, neighborhood leadership training and development, start-up funds for specific neighborhood projects, safety, publicity of special events, beautification, children's programs, sports and recreation and attendance at the Florida Neighborhood Conference or Neighborhoods USA Conference. "Our goal is to get people involved in their neighborhoods and these grants really do that. They are just the incentive folks need to connect with one another and do something good for their community," states Shelley Blood, neighborhood relations officer.

Funding for these projects is made possible by the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners which contributed $73,000, the Children's Board of Hillsborough County which donated $16,000 and the Frank E. Duckwall Foundation, included in the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, which gave $5,000. Neighborhoods can obtain up to $1,500 through the grant program.

Neighborhoods that have accepted grants in the past cannot present the same concept for additional funding. All neighborhood, community, civic and homeowner associations, special taxing districts, coalitions of neighborhood associations and neighborhood watch groups are welcome to apply for the grant.

"It is definitely a way to make the community feel like the county cares. With all the money we pay in taxes, it feels good to get something back," adds Allen, who has been a resident of Creekside for one-and-a-half years.