Does your neighborhood need sidewalks, playground improvements or a traffic circle? The City is now welcoming proposals for small neighborhood improvement projects to be considered for funding from the Neighborhood Projects Funds (NPF).

"The Neighborhood Projects Fund is often used to fund traffic circles, sidewalks, and small scale parks improvements like benches, trails," said Ron Angeles in an email.

"Get your project ideas in now."

The NPF gets its budget from the Neighborhood Street Fund and the Cumulative Reserve Subfund and through this program, approximately $1.2M is set aside in the 2012 City budget for small scale improvements to neighborhood streets and parks. These funds are unique because NPF projects are proposed by the community.

The NPF can be used for projects valued up to $90,000 to fund street or park improvements, such as sidewalk repair, traffic circles and traffic calming, sidewalks, school zone speed limit signs, playground improvements, etc.

Projects funded by the Cumulative Reserve Subfund can only be used for maintenance or repairs, projects which address safety issues, or upgrades related to the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) like wheelchair access improvements; and must relate to the implementation of an existing Neighborhood Plan.

Projects funded by the Neighborhood Street Fund must be transportation-related. These projects may include new construction and do not have to relate to Neighborhood Plans, but there is less money to go around in this fund.

Each District Council will review applications and choose three projects. Then the Seattle Department of Transportation and Seattle Parks and Recreation will perform detailed feasibility and cost analysis, and provide feedback.

The City will make funding decisions based on recommendations from District Councils, Parks and SDOT, with the final decision made by the Mayor.

Each proposal must meet the following criteria:

Significant Impact: The project will have a widespread positive impact on the neighborhood as a whole.

Neighborhood Plan Implementation: The project implements one or more recommendations in an adopted neighborhood plan. Priority will be given to projects that are located in or provide service to urban centers and villages.

Broad Support: The project has the support of multiple neighborhood or community groups. Both residential and business groups are encouraged to apply.

Leveraging Opportunities: The project also qualifies for funding from another City source, and therefore leaves more NPF money available for other projects.

Equity: Funding is to be equitably shared among the districts over time. Neighborhoods that are already receiving significant public investment from other sources may be also given lower priority.