Community Parks Grant Program

General Information and Program Requirements

Funding for this Community Park Grants Program (CPGP) has been provided by the Seneca County Park District Board of Park Commissioners as a component of the Park District’s annual budget. It was the consensus of the Board that a program of assistance to local public park/recreation agencies would allow each county resident to receive maximum benefit from his/her tax dollars by assuring greater accessibility to quality park areas. Program funding is determined by the Park Board on an annual basis.

While this grant program can provide up to 100% of project funding assistance to local political subdivisions of the State of Ohio, a commitment to project cost sharing is highly encouraged. Matching funds may include volunteer time, monetary donations, donated services. Please request only whole dollars; projects which include requests for funding with cents will be rounded down to the nearest dollar, if granted.

Applicant Eligibility
Political subdivisions of the State of Ohio (cities, villages, townships, county, etc.) are eligible to apply for funding, provided the agency is responsible for outdoor park and recreation facilities and is located all or part in Seneca County. The Board, Council or other legislative body must pass a general resolution or ordinance indicating participation in the program and compliance with the terms of the program. An eligibility questionnaire must be completed and submitted every year by each subdivision applying for grant funding.

Project Eligibility
The park area for which grant funding is intended must be owned by or under a long term (minimum 15 year) lease to the subdivision applying for the grant. Grant awards are to be used for permanent improvements to outdoor recreation facilities, and are NOT to be utilized for operational or administrative costs.

Separate grant application forms are to be completed for each project request.

The goal of this grant program is to encourage and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities within Seneca County. The awards will be made on the basis of conformance with program requirements, safety issues, cost/benefit ratio, maintenance and operational history, and past grant performance of grant recipients.

If you are applying for playground equipment, the equipment must be IPEMA Certified.

Grant applications will be reviewed by a grant panel made up of Park and Recreation professionals from other counties. This Grant Panel will make a funding recommendation to the SCPD Board of Park Commissioners, who will make a final determination on grant funding allocations. Decisions made by the SCPD Board of Park Commissioners with regard to project approval are final and may not be appealed.

Funding Level Categories
Applicants may submit no more than one project proposal for each funding category:

Category 1: < $5,000 Projects with grant request* of less than $5,000
Category 2: > $5,000 Projects with grant request* of $5,000 or more

* Total project value may exceed these limitations (i.e., Village requests $4,000 for playground equipment that will cost the village $5,500. This project would be considered in Category 2).

Applicants are encouraged to submit an application for funding from each category.

Project Application Prioritization
Applicants submitting a project application from each category are encouraged to prioritize their funding requests by checking box “1” for their highest priority project and checking box “2” for the second project on the Project Application form.

Compliance with Federal, State and Local Laws
Federal, state and local laws pertaining to non-discrimination, minimum wage legislation, prevailing wage thresholds, bidding requirements, building codes, zoning, health regulations, conflict of interest rules and related regulations must be met at all times. These requirements remain the responsibility of the recipient of the grant funds.

Additional Requirements
Recipients must maintain a sign posted near the grant improvement(s), which identifies the area as having benefited from the Seneca County Park District Community Park Grants Program. SCPD will supply these signs, available in several sizes to best fit the project. Also, we ask that you let us know when the project is going to begin construction so that a temporary sign may be placed in the area advertising the grant program and the partnership with the applicant. In addition, park improvements, which have received grant funding, must be open and accessible to the general public. Fees charged for use of improved facilities may not substantially penalize non-residents.

Upon completion of a funded project, the project sponsor must file a final project report with the Park District. This report shall include all costs associated with the project and have associated paid invoices attached. Failure to provide a final report and/or required signage will result in loss of eligibility for future funding.

To request an application and related forms, please contact Executive Director Sarah Betts at 419-447-8091 or SBetts@SenecaCountyParks.com