The Neighborhood Partnering Program (NPP) can help bring your group’s idea to life through three separate programs: the Neighborhood Cost Share Program, the Adopt-A-Spot Program, or the Grant Assistance Program.

Submit a Project Interest Form and let us know about how you’d like to partner.

Resources

Project Development Guide

Cost Share Proposal Guide

Maintenance Guide

Keep reading to learn about program requirements, what we look for in proposals, and what to expect once you’ve submitted a proposal.

Step 1: Complete Project Interest Form

Have an idea for a project with the Neighborhood Partnering Program (NPP)?

To help us better understand your idea for a project and to see if it is eligible for our program, please fill out the Project Interest Form.

Please be patient! Project interest forms are reviewed monthly. The NPP team will respond with questions about your project and information about the next steps.

Note: The Project Interest Form is not a formal proposal. If your project meets the requirements below and is feasible, our team will work with you to complete a budget and formal proposal for consideration.

Program Requirements

All proposed projects must:

  • Be on City-owned property or right of way
  • Be led by a non-profit community group or a team of residents
  • Be accessible to the public and benefit the community
  • During the proposal process, show the support of neighbors and businesses affected by the project

Park Projects

If you are proposing a project in an existing City park, please contact the Parks and Recreation Department to complete a Community Activated Park Projects (CAPP) form.

Project Types

Examples of suitable projects may include but are not limited to:

  • Trails and trailheads
  • Park improvements
  • Pocket parks
  • Community gardens and food forests
  • Bike lanes, sidewalks, pedestrian crossings and other pedestrian or bicycling enhancements
  • Beautification and landscaping
  • Rain gardens and green streets
  • Street furniture (benches, tables, trash/recycling/compost bins)
  • Murals, mosaics and other public art
  • Adopting a median, roadside or other public space

Projects not suitable include:

  • Speed and traffic control installations including speed bumps, speed signs/displays, stop signs, etc.
  • Projects with the goal of displacing unhoused neighbors
  • Large-scale improvement projects over $250,000-$350,000 depending on the project
  • Changes to recently built facilities or installations
  • Projects that memorialize individuals
  • Maintenance or repair of existing facilities

See examples of past and current NPP projects

 Step 2: Form your NPP project group

Before submitting a project proposal, interested groups must form an NPP Project Group.

What is an NPP Project Group?

This a small team of people who agree to support their group’s proposal and partnership process.

Does it need to be part of a larger community group?

NPP Project Groups are meant to be formed as part of a larger community group, neighborhood association or non-profit organization. If such a group doesn’t exist in your area, you can ask to form your NPP Project Group independently, without the support of these other groups.

Why is an NPP Project Group required?

The City wants to make sure that projects have the support they need to finish the proposal process and fulfill their partnership requirements. If a project is selected, it may require a long-term commitment from the community partner to take care of new public spaces or amenities.

Abandoned proposals and projects can hurt the NPP program, costing the City time and money while taking resources away from other potential projects. To learn more, read the NPP Project Group Development Policy.

Step 3: Develop a budget

For projects requesting funding assistance, you will complete a Cost Share Proposal that includes a budget. For projects that do not need any funding, you will create an Adopt-A-Spot Proposal and can skip this step.

The budget is an important piece of the puzzle for your proposal. We will work with your group to develop a budget for your project using our Budget Template.

To complete the budget, your group will need to help list all the items and work needed for the project. This means figuring out everything your group wants to include in the project. Seeing some of the costs may help your group decide what to include or leave out.

It’s OK to make changes as we go. If your group has a big idea or is not sure what to include, talking to people in the neighborhood can help. Getting opinions from others can bring more people into the project and get them excited to help.

Adding up the total costs will help your group decide how you plan to contribute to the project. We will provide you with a worksheet to help you estimate your budget, volunteer and maintenance hours.

To get started, see NPP’s Cost Share Proposal Guide.

Remember, your budget may go through several changes as we work out the costs. You will need an approved final budget before your project proposal can be accepted.

Step 4: Show community support

During the proposal process, you will need to show the support of neighbors and businesses affected by the project.

Depending on your project, you may be asked to provide one or both of the following:

  • Letters of support from other community groups that might be interested in the project, such as neighborhood associations or the homeowners association for your area.
  • Signatures of support from at least 60% of those who are affected by the project. The NPP team will create a map of affected neighbors and businesses.

In some cases, the NPP team will distribute mailers and provide yard signs at the proposed project site with project information and a link to a community support survey.

Step 5: Develop proposal

Prepare Proposal

Developing your proposal for an NPP project requires time and commitment from the NPP Project Group. The project proposal form includes the following components:

  • Group Details – info about your organization and any other groups that will be part of the
    project
  • Project Description – description of the space and your proposed project
  • Project Parts – details of the main individual parts of your project
  • Project Goals – reasons for your project and how it benefits your community
  • Maintenance Plan – how your group plans to maintain the different parts of the project (see Maintenance Guide)
  • Cost Share Proposal – how your group plans to contribute to the project (see Cost Share Proposal Guide)
    • A Cost Share Proposal is not needed for Adopt-A-Spot proposals
  • Evidence of Community Support – show the support of neighbors and businesses affected by the project (see Step 4 for more details)

How project proposals are evaluated

The NPP Board, which includes department directors of Austin Transportation and Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Watershed Protection, and Development Services, reviews Neighborhood Cost Share Program proposals. If your proposal isn’t selected, you can
reapply. Each proposal round is unique, and you can either resubmit the original or make improvements for future consideration.

What to expect after you submit your proposal

After you submit a proposal, we’ll confirm it is complete. If there’s anything that might stop your proposal from moving forward, we will get in touch with you to talk about possible changes.

We will notify you of the next scheduled date for the NPP Board to review and select proposals.

Adopt-A-Spot proposals

Adopt-A-Spot proposals are reviewed and considered by the Transportation and Public Works Department as they are received.

Step 6: Implement Partnership

Sign Partnership Agreement

If your proposal is selected by the NPP Board, we will develop a Partnership Agreement. 

The Partnership Agreement outlines what your group and the City are each responsible for, including details about costs, volunteering and maintenance. Both your group and the City will sign the agreement before any work can begin.

Implementation: installation and construction

The time it takes to implement depends on the size and type of project, seasonal weather and more. Our team will manage the process and will keep your group informed with updates and timelines. If your group has a role in building or installing part of the project, our project manager will work with you to coordinate your work.

Adopt-A-Spot proposals

If your Adopt-A-Spot proposal is approved, we will develop an Adoption Agreement that your group and the City will both sign. The Adoption Agreement outlines the location of the adopted spot, what work is allowed in that space, and any maintenance that you’ve agreed to.

Before you begin any work, your group will work with the NPP team to give you the go-ahead to get started on each step of the project. Depending on the project, we may need to help you work through permits or other approvals, road closures and safety requirements.

Step 7: Celebrate!

Groups can choose to celebrate the success of their completed NPP project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony or other event.

We will follow the lead of your group and can support with the following:

  • Reserve public facilities, such as parks
  • Invite Council members and city officials
  • Help coordinate schedule and speakers
  • Provide ribbon, scissors, a podium and portable speaker

Some groups combine their celebration with other community events while others may announce the project through a newsletter. It’s up to you how you’d like to celebrate your project!

Step 8: Maintain project

Maintenance is important to help keep your project in good condition. The City will maintain most infrastructure improvements, such as sidewalks, bike lanes or some major park improvements. In most other cases, such as landscaping and public art, your group is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep for the life of the project.

This means that you must be prepared to replace or repair parts of the project if needed and must be able to do ongoing maintenance. For landscaping projects, be prepared to do maintenance at regular intervals as stated in your Partnership Agreement (or Adoption Agreement).

Projects that are not maintained can cause issues of safety or code violations and may have to be removed by the City. Abandoned or unmaintained projects can hurt the NPP program, costing the City time and money while taking resources away from other potential projects.

Learn more about project maintenance in the NPP Maintenance Guide.

For assistance, please email the Neighborhood Partnering Program at NPP@AustinTexas.gov or call (512) 974-6439.  Projects that are eligible for the Neighborhood Partnering Program will be sent a formal application.