CHICAGO — Want to spruce up your local park?
You could get a grant for up to $2,000 to do so, but the deadline is fast approaching.
Tuesday, Jan. 15, is the last day to apply for the Friends of the Parks 2013 seed grant, which awards a maximum of $2,000 per each eligible applicant.
Last year, Friends of the Parks, an advocacy organization, helped fund a bird sanctuary at Indian Boundary Park in West Rogers Park and a poetry hour at Elm Park in Hyde Park, among other projects.
“They’re getting a little bit of money to help create a program or help create something new for the park,” said Maria Dmyterko Stone, an official with Friends of the Parks. “We give them the seed to get started.”
Sherwood Park in Englewood received $500 last year to support its youth violin program.
Kimberly Richardson, an Englewood resident who wrote the grant, said the money went to buying materials like music books for students that could not afford the cost.
“It was very appreciated,” Richardson said of the grant. All the children who signed up finished the program. “We had a great year."
Stone said when writing grants, applicants should focus more on park beautification and programming than on structural improvements.
For more information, or to fill out an application, visit Friends of the Parks' website.
