The Ekalaka Eagle - Your Community Builder

submitted by Eastern Plains Economic Development Corporation

Eastern Plains Economic Development Corporation with the Montana Community Foundation and the Red Ants Pants Foundation are thrilled to announce a grant competition for creative placemaking projects. Groups, organization and individuals in Carter, Dawson, Fallon, Prairie and Wibaux Counties are encourage to develop and submit their ideas for how they can transform a public space in their community into a beautiful, lively and welcoming place.

The Eastern Plains Placemaking Grant is a creative placemaking grant competition open to residents of Carter, Dawson, Fallon, Prairie and Wibaux Counties. We want to promote smaller, incremental improvements to make the public spaces of our communities more beautiful, more engaging, more interesting, and more enjoyable. Placemaking is the practice of creating or enhancing a community’s assets to improve its overall attractiveness and livability. The four fundamental elements of placemaking are:

• Access & Linkages – Easy to get to

• Comfort & Image – Easy to be there

• Uses & Activities – Fun to be there

• Sociability – Easy to interact

Placemaking is more than just public art. It is creating welcoming and engaging places where people want to gather and connect – even to linger. It is about enhancing the walkability of our commercial areas, our neighborhoods, and our community in general. Placemaking can be large-scale like the development of a city park or streetscape, or it can be as small as a flower bed or a well-placed chair.

We have intentionally kept this application process simple and easy. There is no need to over complicate it. Simply think of a project that you or your group would like to create; provide renderings, images, diagrams, or photos of what it will look like; and explain what and where it will be, who will help you, what other resources you will use, and how it will activate and benefit the community.

Grant Applications and Guidelines can be found at epedc.com. Please contact Beth Epley at 406-853-6471 or [email protected] for any questions.

Eligibility for all Grant Applicants:

ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL GRANT APPLICANTS

1. Open to all residents and organizations within Carter, Dawson, Fallon, Prairie and Wibaux Counties.

2. All completed projects must be visible and/or accessible by the public within Carter, Dawson, Fallon, Prairie and Wibaux Counties.

3. One application per organization per year.

4. Must conform with all applicable city and/or county codes and ordinances.

5. Grant funds may be used for necessary project materials and contracted services. Recipients are expected to provide volunteer labor to bring their projects to fruition. Grant funds are not intended to be used for planning purposes.

ABOUT THE GRANT

1. Grant requests will not exceed $5,000.

2. Total project costs should not exceed $10,000.

3. Submission deadline September 16, 2022 at 5 PM.

4. EPEDC Placemaking Committee will review and score the applications.

5. Grant winners will be notified by September 30, 2022 via email.

6. Grant funds will be released as expended with proper documentation.

7. Projects must be competed by June 15, 2023.