For More Information

Please contact Adriana.Vargas@sanjoseca.gov.

Beautify SJ Grant Program

APPLY IN FOUR EASY STEPS

Steps	Process	Process Description
Step 1	Review Funding Opportunity Requirements	Potential applicants that are new will use WebGrants to search for the funding opportunity. Applicants currently on the Eligible Service Provider list for Cycle 7 will need to submit a Request for Proposal (RFP), that will be sent via email by the Analyst. Be sure to print and read through the General Information and Requirements (GIR) document for funding requirements, information and application process.
Step 2	Complete and submit your proposal and RFP by Monday, December 9, 2024 by 4 p.m. PST	Potential applicants will need to register on WebGrants. Potential applicants will review the application on WebGrants and complete all required fields. Before submitting, applicants are encouraged to review application for errors before submitting. If you need technical assistance with WebGrants registration or submitting your proposal, please contact Adriana Vargas at Adriana.Vargas@sanjoseca.gov.
Step 3	Internal review process of your grant proposal	The BeautifySJ Grant Program administrative team will screen all submitted proposals for completion and eligibility. An evaluation process will be completed for proposals before determining if and what award amount(s) will be made.
Step 4	Receive notification of award status	After completion of the review process, final award recommendations are made with the available funding and BeautifySJ project priorities in mind. Applicants will be notified whether or not they have been awarded a grant.

LEARN MORE AT A WORKSHOP

Pre-Proposal Workshop (Hybrid)

Date and Time: Wednesday, October 30, 2024 at 5:30 - 7 p.m.
Location: Hank Lopez Community Center: 1694 Adrian Way, San José, CA 95122
Zoom Link
Webinar ID: 989 0652 1050 Passcode: 694725
Phone Number: 1-408-638-0968 US (San José)
Recording available here

Pre-Proposal Workshop (In-Person)

Date and Time: Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Willow Glen Community Center: 2175 Lincoln Ave, San José, CA 95125

About the program

The BeautifySJ Grant Program provides funds (from $300 up to $5,000) for neighborhood clean-up efforts, beautification projects and neighborhood engagement opportunities in San José.

Proposals will only be accepted online via WebGrants. To register for a WebGrants user ID and to access the application, please go to: grants.sanjoseca.gov.

Cycle 7 is now released. Applications must be submitted via WebGrants no later than 4:00 p.m. on Monday, December 9, 2024. Cycle 7 term begins April 1, 2025 and ends March 31, 2026. Notice of Funding Opportunity can be viewed here.

ENTRY CRITERIA

Eligible groups must:

Live in or be residents within the City of San José
Operate free of charge

Applicants must meet all ENTRY CRITERIA at the time of submitting their proposals.

Eligible Group	Eligible Group Description	Eligible Project
Neighborhood Associations Eligible to receive up to $5,000 in grant funding	An established formal group of residents living within the same neighborhood, working to improve the neighborhood. This does not include business owners, District Leadership Groups or people who work in the area that do not live in the neighborhood.	Category 1: Beautification Projects Category 2: Neighborhood Quality of Life or Organization Building Events/Projects
Emerging Neighborhood Eligible to receive up to $5,000 in grant funding	A group of volunteers, that aren’t an established Neighborhood Association yet, who are working to improve the neighborhood they live in. This does not include businesses or people who work in the area that do not live in the neighborhood	Category 1: Beautification Projects Category 2: Neighborhood Quality of Life or Organization Building Events/Projects
Property Owner/Tenant Association Eligible to receive up to $5,000 in grant funding.	A group that works closely with the tenants of the properties by including them in meetings and project planning working to improve the neighborhood. Qualifying grants will fund items and activities that build community cohesion; it will NOT fund items that are the owner’s responsibility, such as physical improvements.	Category 1: Beautification Projects Category 2: Neighborhood Quality of Life or Organization Building Events/Projects
District Leadership Groups Eligible to receive up to $2,500 in grant funding.	An established formal group of Neighborhood Association leaders living within a Council District in the City of San José. District Leadership Group's goal is to support individual residents, emerging groups, and neighborhood associations by providing capacity building activities to strengthen neighborhood engagement, civic participation, and leadership within our neighborhoods.	Category 2: Neighborhood Quality of Life or Organization Building Events/Projects Category 3: Support & Capacity Building Events/Activities
Community Partner Groups Eligible to receive up to $1,500 in grant funding.	A community group or partner that operates to improve neighborhoods and involves residents living in the neighborhood where projects is being proposed. Such groups include, but are not limited to, non-profit agencies, churches, schools, Adopt-a-Park, Adopt-a-Trail, and Adopt-a-Street, or “Friends of a Park” type groups.	Category 1: Beautification Projects

What types of projects can be proposed?

There are three types of categories for projects that can be proposed. Please see the Project Activity Description & Key Details here for more information, such as required approved permissions, permitting, and contact details.

Category 1: Beautification Projects
ADOPT-A-PARK Neighborhood groups that are ready for a one-year commitment are encouraged to Adopt-A-Park, to help with picking up litter, removing graffiti, removing weeds, and trimming bushes.	LANDSCAPING Landscaping (design, planting, trimming, mulching) in public spaces and city parks
GARDEN SPOTS A Garden Spot is a small area in a City of San José park, where residents register to plant and maintain a flower garden. Garden Spots can be community projects.	NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN-UP Dumpster Days, Litter Pick-Ups, Graffiti Abatement
PLANTING Planting of trees and/or any other type of planting.	All beautification projects must be on public property

Category 1: Beautification Projects

ADOPT-A-PARK

Neighborhood groups that are ready for a one-year commitment are encouraged to Adopt-A-Park, to help with picking up litter, removing graffiti, removing weeds, and trimming bushes.

LANDSCAPING

Landscaping (design, planting, trimming, mulching) in public spaces and city parks

GARDEN SPOTS

A Garden Spot is a small area in a City of San José park, where residents register to plant and maintain a flower garden. Garden Spots can be community projects.

NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN-UP

Dumpster Days, Litter Pick-Ups, Graffiti Abatement

PLANTING

Planting of trees and/or any other type of planting.

All beautification projects must be on public property

CATEGORY 2: NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE & NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANZATION BUILDING EVENTS OR PROJECTS
Neighborhood-Led Events	National Night Out, Cultural Festivals, Community Building Events, public safety activities, neighborhood celebrations, community projects, etc.
Neighborhood Organization Support	Newsletters, PO Boxes, United Neighborhoods of Santa Clara County Membership Fees, special events insurance, association web pages/domains.
One-Day Volunteer Event at a Park	Your neighborhood group can work with Parks Division Volunteer Management Unit to choose a project based on the number of participants and the work that is needed.

CATEGORY 3: NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT & CAPACITY BUILDING EVENTS OR ACTIVITIES
Neighborhood Group Outreach & Communication	Connecting neighborhood leaders to City Council and City of San José staff. Communicating and sharing resources, including funding opportunities. Conducting outreach to identify neighborhood leaders, in Equity Priority Communities to establish new emerging groups. Communicate and coordinate BeautifySJ funded projects that enable multiple groups to better utilize resources. Conducting outreach to community members to foster greater engagement in joining or establishing neighborhood groups where there are no groups.
Capacity Building	Regular engagement meetings with emerging groups and neighborhood associations to provide coaching on how to develop Bylaws, meeting agendas, and grant proposals. Provide neighborhood groups with “How to Guides” for Beautification projects. Support residents, emerging groups and associations by providing language interpretation services.

CATEGORY 3: NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT & CAPACITY
BUILDING EVENTS OR ACTIVITIES

Neighborhood Group Outreach & Communication

Connecting neighborhood leaders to City Council and City of San José staff. Communicating and sharing resources, including funding opportunities. Conducting outreach to identify neighborhood leaders, in Equity Priority Communities to establish new emerging groups. Communicate and coordinate BeautifySJ funded projects that enable multiple groups to better utilize resources. Conducting outreach to community members to foster greater engagement in joining or establishing neighborhood groups where there are no groups.

Capacity Building

Regular engagement meetings with emerging groups and neighborhood associations to provide coaching on how to develop Bylaws, meeting agendas, and grant proposals. Provide neighborhood groups with “How to Guides” for Beautification projects. Support residents, emerging groups and associations by providing language interpretation services.

BeautifySJ Grant Program Media Toolkit

Resources	Description
Workshop recording	Pre-proposal Workshop Recording Recording available here. Spanish and Vietnamese translations are included in the recording. Click the translation icon at the bottom right of the screen to switch to the designated language for the presentation.
Presentation	Pre-proposal workshop BeautifySJ Cycle 7 Grant presentation provides information about the BeautifySJ Grant Program and application steps. English
Flyer	These flyers are to provide information about the BeautifySJ Grant Program. English Spanish Vietnamese
Social Media	These social media graphics are to provide information about the BeautifySJ Grant Program. English Spanish Vietnamese
General Information and Requirements	BeautifySJ Grant Program Cycle 7 General Information and Requirements
Activity Description & Key Details (Ineligible Grant Expense List)	BeautifySJ Grant Cycle 7 Activity List and Key Details