Community Partnership Grant Program

The Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area, or GCRA, is a department of the City of Gainesville. The GCRA was created in 2019 through Ordinance 181001 with a goal of encouraging investment in underserved areas within the district. Through the Community Partnership Grant Program, the GCRA assists local community organizations with matching grant funding for special programming within the GCRA District. The program is a Community Enhancements and Housing initiative identified in the GCRA 10-Year Reinvestment Plan and is intended to benefit community members by maintaining the culture and population of an area. It also supports the City's goal of making Gainesville a great place to live and experience by supporting programs and activities serving diverse cultures and ages. The program provides up to $5,000 in matching grant funds for eligible special events. The GCRA plans to have $10,000 available per application window, subject to available funding. The highest-ranked application is fully funded up to the $5,000 maximum, while qualifying secondary applications share the remaining funds available for that window. Unused funds in the secondary pool may roll over to the next six-month window. Program funds may be used for special event expenses such as advertising, entertainment, equipment rental, facility rental, and security. Other uses may be approved during application review when they are determined to be consistent with the spirit of the program. Events must occur within the GCRA District, be free and open to the public, and positively impact the GCRA community. Preference for funding is given to registered 501(c)(3) or other not-for-profit organizations, while for-profit events are ineligible. Events cannot have a predominantly religious or political purpose, permit prohibited discrimination, or promote alcohol, tobacco products, illegal drugs or activities, gambling, sexually oriented businesses, or obscene or sexually explicit materials or content. Applicants also cannot apply in back-to-back cycles for the same event. Applicants are encouraged to provide insurance documentation, and any required permits are the applicant's responsibility. Recipients must provide a dollar-for-dollar match for the grant award. Other grant funding sources cannot be used for the match. Allowable matching contributions include cash, volunteer hours valued at $25 per hour, and donated or in-kind services or supplies supported by a receipt from the donor. Volunteer labor performed before the grant award cannot count toward the match, donated materials are valued at retail cost, and professional services must be documented on official letterhead and valued at the provider's customary retail rate. Based on demonstrated need and after approval by the GCRA Advisory Board, the City may, at its sole discretion, disburse up to 20 percent of an award before the event. If an advance is provided and the event does not occur, the applicant must repay the City within one month. Applications are accepted quarterly with deadlines of December 1, March 1, June 1, and September 1 at 5:00 p.m. If a deadline falls on a non-business day, the deadline moves to the next business day. Applications received before the deadline are reviewed by GCRA staff, who may advise applicants of corrections or missing information. Applications submitted on the deadline date must already be complete or they will not be considered in that grant round. Completed applications are submitted by mail or in person to Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area, Attn: Community Partnership Grant Program, 2153 SE Hawthorne Road, Suite 223, Gainesville, FL 32641. The application requests applicant and event information, event history and category, an event description, any need for upfront funding, marketing plans, partnerships, anticipated community impact, alignment with City goals, insurance information, and a proposed event budget. A three-minute prerecorded audio or video elevator pitch is recommended but not required. GCRA staff rank complete applications after each quarterly deadline. An event must positively impact the GCRA community, which is required and worth one point, and must align with at least one City strategic goal to reach the minimum two-point threshold for referral to the Gainesville Community Reinvestment Area Advisory Board. Relevant strategic goals include Equitable Community, Sustainable Community, A Great Place to Live and Experience, Resilient Local Economy, and Best in Class Neighbor Services. The board assigns an additional two points to one applicant through its ranking and voting process, after which the highest-ranked applicant is announced. Board consideration occurs in December, March, June, or September depending on the application cycle, and applicants are notified by the end of the applicable month. Project periods are February 1 through April 30, May 1 through July 31, August 1 through October 31, and November 1 through January 31, respectively. Following the event, recipients must report the total amount spent, provide copies of receipts, report attendance excluding members of the applicant's organization, and submit a completed Matching Pledge Form documenting the required match. These materials are due within three months after completion of the event. Failure to provide the required post-event information within that period disqualifies the applicant and event from future Community Partnership Grant Program funding for three years. Receipts are also required for event-related purchases made with program funding, and unaccounted grant funds must be repaid to the GCRA. The source provides the GCRA's general program telephone number, (352) 393-8200, for verification of whether an address is within the district, but does not identify an individual grant contact or grant-specific email address.

Submit a complete application before the deadline rather than relying on deadline-day corrections; clearly demonstrate positive impact on the GCRA Community because this is a required scoring criterion; directly address every applicable City strategic goal because each relevant goal may earn an additional point; document the required 1:1 match with eligible sources and do not use other grant funding as match; ensure the event is free and open to the public and located within the GCRA District.