What If . . . Neighborhood Grants
"What If . . . ?" Neighborhood Mini-Grants
This neighborhood initiative helps empower Troy and Lansingburgh residents to make positive changes in their communities.
- What are these grants for? – “What If” grants are offered to encourage neighborhood growth and to support residents who have an idea to make their community a better place to live and work.
- Who can apply? – We believe that the people who live in a community should decide what happens in their community. We are looking for projects driven by neighbors, grassroots organizations, and others who want to make Troy and Lansingburgh better places to live and work. We believe that there are many people who have insightful ideas about our communities, and that not all may have the tax-exempt status necessary to qualify for most philanthropic grant programs.
- What projects or ideas will be considered? - We are looking for requests that encourage creativity, collaboration, and innovation. It should be a project that builds community engagement, encourages comradery, and solves a problem that you and your neighbors are facing. The cost of the project cannot exceed $5,000.
- How do I apply? – All applicants to the “What If . . .?” grants program must attend a Community Information Meeting before applying. To register for a Community Information Meeting, please call Leslie Cheu at 518-720-0006 to discuss your project idea. If the idea looks to be a good fit for a “What If” grant, then you will be registered for an upcoming Community Information Meeting.
During the community meeting, we will have a light dinner together and applicants will learn about the grant application process. For applicants who do not represent a 501c3 tax-exempt organization, information will be provided about identifying a fiscal sponsor for their project. - Who will review my application for funding? – All “What if” grant requests will be reviewed by a committee made up of community members from within the Troy and Lansingburgh communities.