Unlocking opportunities: Beautification grants for small towns help transform communities

Beautification grants for small towns in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin

Illinois

• Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant:
  Administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR), this grant provides funding assistance to local governments for acquiring and developing land for public parks and open spaces. Eligible projects include:
  • Land acquisition. Money is available to purchase land for new parks, expand parks, provide water frontage, facilitate nature studies and preserve natural resources.
  • Development and renovation. This grant supports developing and renovating recreational facilities, like picnic areas, playgrounds, sports courts, playfields, swimming pools and beaches, fishing piers, campgrounds, winter sports facilities and more.
• Park and Recreational Facilities Construction (PARC) grant:
  Administered by the Illinois DNR this grant is available to local governments for acquiring and developing land for public parks and recreational facilities. Funding supports recreational and conservation lands and structures. Eligible projects include:
  • Construction and expansion of recreation buildings, structures and facilities.
  • General park maintenance for regional, community and neighborhood parks and sports fields.
  • Frontage on public surface waters.
  • Open space/conservation efforts.
• Recreational Trails Program (RTP):
  This is administered by the Department of Transportation DOT)’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). It provides the funds to develop and maintain:
  • Recreational trails.
  • Facilities for motorized and nonmotorized trails.
• Rebuild Illinois Downtowns and Main Streets Capital Program (RDMS):
  This program provides funding to revitalize commercial corridors and downtowns across Illinois. Eligible projects must be in a downtown area or commercial center and include:
  • Roadways, parking and public way improvements.
  • Investments in parks and venues/plazas.
  • Sustainability upgrades.
  • Structural repairs.
  • Mixed-use or transit-oriented development.
• Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) grants:
  This provides federal and state funding for projects that support alternate modes of transportation, preserve visual and cultural resources, and improve quality of life. Eligible beautification projects include:
  • Pedestrian/ bicycle facilities and sidewalks.
  • Streetscapes.
  • Conversion of abandoned railroad corridors to trails.
  • Vegetation management in transportation rights of way.
  • Preservation and rehabilitation of historic transportation facilities.
  • Turnout construction, overlooks and other viewing areas.

Iowa

• Transportation Alternatives Program:
  The Iowa DOT funds various smaller-scale transportation projects through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). This includes:
  • Pedestrian/ bicycle facilities and sidewalks.
  • Safe routes to school.
  • Recreational trails.
  • Community improvements, such as historic preservation, vegetation management and environmental mitigation, related to stormwater and habitat connectivity.

Wisconsin

• Community Improvement Project (CIP) Grants:
  These grants promote community activities and sustainability projects, such as revitalizing and beautifying community spaces and creating murals.
  • Not eligible for nonprofit business, commercial or personal property improvements.
• Facade Rehabilitation Grant Program:
  This program provides funds to support exterior improvements to commercial property. It promotes growth and development by helping small business owners transform their commercial buildings into vibrant spaces. Interior projects and residential properties are not eligible.