The City of Knoxville through a Neighborhood Small Grants Program funds projects that build relationships among neighbors and at the same time enhances the neighborhood. This program is administered by the East Tennessee Foundation for the City. As one might imagine many groups applying for these grant funds are not an IRS registered nonprofit organization, and as a result cannot be the recipient of public funding. In many (14 to be exact) cases the Community Design Center has provided fiscal sponsorship so these organizations can receive funding for their projects.
One such group is the residents association for Northgate Towers in Fountain City. Residents applied for and received a grant in support of a community garden for use by residents of the tower, and a rock garden contained within the facility entrance lobby.
July the residents held an open house to showcase the result of implementing both ideas. There are 21 garden spots in the community garden with 26 gardeners participating. Bobbie tells me she barters with other gardeners so they all have access to the different vegetables being raised.
