The City opened the fall cycle for the newly revamped Strategic Neighborhood Grant Funds (SNGF) on July 1, 2026. Our annual appropriation for the SNGF is $60,000, divided equally into a Spring and Fall cycle.
The Fall cycle closed on August 1, 2026. We received twenty-three (23) applications with $129,720.00 in requests. We had unused funds in the amount of $882 from the previous grant year that we are rolling into this cycle, which will allow us to increase our total allocation to $30,565.00.
The review committee is recommending approval to fund, in whole or in part, nine grant applications (9) as follows, listed in the order they were submitted:
- Hartland HOA's Tree Enhancement for Wilkinson Trace: $1,060.00 - First-time applicant. Lynda Neale, HOA President, submitted the grant. The project includes removing dead branches and raising the canopies of the Golden Shower trees that line Wilkerson Trace along the brick wall enclosing the Hartland Ct. subdivision. The project has already been completed.
- Burr Oaks HOA's Lighting Update for Entrance: $5,700.00 - Repeat awardee. The project was submitted by Debbie Jackson, HOA President. The project includes adding post lighting to the top of posts to enhance visibility to their entrance and improve lighting along the sidewalk area on Cemetery Rd. They plan to purchase 4 post lights at $800 each; labor to install is $1,200. Spruce up landscape with seasonal flowers for Fall and Christmas
- Shake Rag Neighborhood Festival: $2,000.00 - Repeat Awardee. Shalana Page is the event organizer for Shake Rag Festival, celebrating its 7th annual event. It celebrates the history and culture of Bowing Green’s Historic Shake Rag neighborhood. The event took place on August 8, 2026
- Mt. Zion Back-to-School Block Party: $2,000.00 - Repeat Awardee. Johnalma Barnett is the event organizer for the Mt. Zion Back-to-School Bash. This event takes place in the heart of the Northern Heights / Parker Bennett subdivision. It is an annual event that has many community partners, including the BG Police.
- Beautifying Magnolia Hills Subdivision Entrance Sign: $5,000.00 - First-time applicant. The grant was submitted by Emily Jones, a Magnolia Hills HOA member. The funds will be used for sprucing and landscaping to beautify the Magnolia Hills entrance. Neighbors plan to plant a Magnolia Tree next to the sign and add shrubs across the street concealing utility boxes.
- Eaglestone Neighborhood Mail Project: $6,000.00 - Repeat Awardee. Rosemary Webster, HOA President, submitted the grant. The project involves the replacement of 80 community mailboxes that are nearly 20 years old. Neighbors will replace them with cluster mailboxes.
- Refurbishment of Euclid Mailboxes, Bent Tree: $700.00 - First-time applicant. Shari Strode, HOA President. Cluster mailboxes at the entrance of Bent Tree on Euclid have mold/mildew, paint is peeling, and they are unsightly. The project will cost $1,091, and the HOA is covering the remaining $391
- Great Neighbors, Good Food, Pretty Signs, Roselawn: $2,105.00 Repeat awardee. The grant application was submitted by a concerned neighbor, Dustin Owens. There is no formal HOA. The project will fund the installation of new Neighborhood Watch Signs on McElroy, Loving Way, and Oaklawn streets, as well as hosting a Cheesecake social event for neighbors.
- Entrance Sign for Erskine Place: $6,000.00 - New applicant. The grant application was submitted by Angela Lightfoot, a concerned neighbor. This project will cover the cost of replacing the letters on the entry sign to Erskine Place, off Parish Ct. The letters have fallen off and make it difficult for first responders to locate the entrance of the neighborhood.
Strategic Neighborhood Grants support neighborhood-led projects that help create stronger, safer, and more connected neighborhoods within the incorporated city limits of Bowling Green. This program is managed in the Neighborhood and Community Services Department, under the Community Engagement Division for Neighbors and New Americans.
The next cycle of the Strategic Neighborhood Grant will open on January 1, 2027, for Spring neighborhood projects. For more information, visit: https://www.bgky.org/neighborhoods/grant