The City of Marysville will be offering grants to neighborhoods, community groups, and local businesses (businesses must be located from the south city limit north to 8th Street., and the west city limit east to Alder Avenue) to improve their neighborhoods or other areas of the community. The program seeks to partner with homeowners, residents, and local business owners in the downtown area to beautify and provide improvements in the community. Marysville’s CBP program is accepting applications for project proposals for 2024. This is a competitive grant offering. Applications will be reviewed by a grant review committee that will score the applications and make the award selection. The committee will then present their recommendations to Marysville City Council for approval in October 2023. Applications are due by 4:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. 

Examples of some projects which might qualify include community landscaping projects, common space site furnishings, or cleaning up commons areas and areas that are visible to the public.  Projects might involve installation of fencing or paths to improve or control access to common areas or parks.  Improvements that promote community gathering spots through resting or active areas are also eligible.  The grant is intended to provide community value through enhancing aesthetic appeal. Any project designed with these goals at its core, and designed in a way that benefits the community at large rather than one homeowner in particular may qualify.

Businesses eligible for grant funding must be located within the City of Marysville Downtown area, specifically from the south city limit north to 8th Street, and the west city limit east to Alder Avenue. Projects must meet code requirements, follow all local and state laws, and follow all current design standards. Newly constructed buildings, standard maintenance, rebranding or expansion projects are not eligible for funding. If an applicant is not the building owner, it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all approvals for the proposed work are obtained before submitting the application. Documentation of approvals must be provided with the application. Applications that impact multiple business with a shared frontage or are located side-by-side in a business area are highly encouraged. All projects must occur on the exterior of the building such as façade, sign or other exterior beautification projects.   Examples of eligible projects are:

• Painting or façade material upgrades (routine maintenance does not qualify)
• Decorative or significant lighting upgrades
• Signage (grants will not be awarded for rebranding/business name changes)
• Awnings
• Permanent, affixed building decorative elements
• Enhancements or changes to trim materials of the building
• Window, door, or storefront upgrades in public view for aesthetic purposes
• Structural improvements to the building façade
• Masonry work or carpentry/molding/trim improvements
• Restoration of details in historic or older buildings
• Other uses may be suggested

Up to $7,500 for larger projects and first-time grant recipients or $5,000 for those who have previously received CBP funds. Applicants who have been awarded funds and submitted for reimbursement in two previous grant cycles are not eligible and will not be considered for funding. Funds are awarded on a reimbursement basis upon completion of the project. To enhance accountability and ensure projects provide value to the community, projects which fail to deliver on their initial goals may be denied reimbursement. A City staff representative will be assigned to work with each awardee.

Applicants that are awarded funding must seek prior approval before changing any plans related to grant funds that will impact the delivery of the project’s stated goal, change the stated goal, or change the cost of the project. Failure to do so will risk the loss of reimbursable funds. Applicants will be expected to coordinate with city staff to ensure that project improvements are performed consistent with their applications. In addition, any improvements that are proposed for installation on city property or street right of way will require approval and coordination with city personnel. Reimbursable expenses must be reviewed with city staff prior to initiating work with the vendor or contractor. The property must be regularly maintained to preserve the value of the improvements. Any additional costs incurred are the responsibility of the applicant.

The deadline for applications is 4:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. All applications must be submitted prior to 4:30 p.m. Applications can be submitted electronically through the online application or mailed or delivered in person to City Hall, 501 Delta Ave. Projects must be completed by Nov. 15, 2024, with a request for reimbursement submitted no later than Dec. 13, 2024. 

If applicants reside in a neighborhood with an active Homeowner’s Association (HOA), written concurrence from the HOA board is required to be submitted with the application. If applicants reside in a neighborhood without a Homeowner’s Association, the application must be signed by at least five households to display a broad base of neighborhood support for the project. It should also be demonstrated that the applicants have made an effort to communicate the proposed improvement plans to the neighborhood. If a business is applying for an application that will impact neighboring businesses, written concurrence from those businesses is required to be submitted with the application.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. To maximize the competitiveness of their application, applicants are encouraged to follow these guidelines.

• Competitive applications will display broad-based community support, whether through large numbers of signatures, support from volunteers in their planned activities, or through diverse sources of funding.
• Competitive applications will provide three (3) pictures of the project area before improvements and will provide as much detail as possible in the project planning section.  Do not feel limited to just the blank space provided on the page.
• Competitive applications will not only identify how projects will improve visual appeal in the community, but also how improvements in visual appeal will benefit nearby residents.  Some examples might include getting to know neighbors better while working on the project, or providing a clean and safe space for outdoor activities.
• Competitive applications will provide realistic figures for costs and funding, provide professional quotes for expenses where necessary, and will make realistic assumptions concerning the level of volunteer participation in the project.
• Competitive projects will demonstrate how the neighborhood or community will continue to maintain and upkeep the project area if physical improvements are being made.
• Competitive applications will provide a match of funds and/or labor to the project.

For projects that are awarded funds, a reimbursement procedure will be identified. Please note when preparing to apply that you will be required to submit the following with reimbursement:

• A current W-9 for the Homeowner’s Association or business.
• Three (3) photos of the completed project that may potentially be used in public information and presentations.
• Invoices from vendors for work completed with proof of payment.  This is a reimbursement process; all payments will be made to the HOA or business with the expectation that the HOA or business covers the upfront cost for the project.
• Documentation recapping the completed project that includes how the work was completed, and the benefits gained by your neighborhood or business.  Testimonials from residents or neighboring businesses are appreciated.  Please limit your recap to no more than 500 words.
• A letter or note from the city staff representatives working with you on the project stating that the project has been completed.  Prior to submitting for reimbursement, applicants must contact their representative from the City of Marysville to schedule a time for on-site inspection of the project’s completion.

Questions? Contact Sarah Calvin at scalvin@marysvillewa.gov or 360-363-8091. Completed applications should be filled out online using this form or sent to City Hall at 501 Delta Ave., Marysville WA 98270.