Helpin' Out Your Hood: Neighborhood Partnering Program Improves Austin with Community Projects

The Austin Public Works Department is taking a hands-on approach to neighborhood improvement through an initiative called the Neighborhood Partnering Program (NPP). The program is made up of four subprograms that cater to specific neighborhood needs, including Neighborhood Cost Share, Grant Assistance, Parking Benefit Project Coordination, and Adopt-A-Median. You can learn more about these subprograms and their application processes by downloading the brochure.

It’s the Neighborhood Cost Share program, however, that has been most popular in terms of engaging the community. Justin Golbabai, program director of NPP, speaks to the power of the Cost Share program process.

“It’s designed to take neighborhood projects from concept to construction,” says Golbabai, “We’re with them every step of the way.”

NPP, by way of the City of Austin government, will fund up to 70% of a neighborhood project if the total project cost is less than $150,000, and will match projects up to $500,000 with a 50/50 split.

NPP also offers a pretty Patchy option for neighborhood organizations short on capital. Sweat equity is treated the same as a cash contribution; NPP assigns a monetary value to time and services rendered by project participants, be it volunteer hours (valued at $24.66 per hour) or a donation of a professional service (landscape architects sketching a blue print for a new park, for example). That value then counts toward their 30 or 50% bottom line.

NPP is the hidden treasure of Austin Public Works with untapped resources for the entire Austin community to enjoy. Think your neighborhood could benefit from an NPP initiative? Get more info about the NPP application process here: https://austintexas.gov/neighborhoodpartnering , or email Justin Golbabai at Justin.golbabai@austintexas.gov