What Will Help Make Our Site Eligible?

Each application is carefully reviewed under criteria that include:

• Feasibility for site acquisition which depends to a large extent on the current owner's interest in selling or donating the land to NeighborSpace,
• Evidence of long-term viability which depends on local need for this open space, and evidence of resources and leadership to support its continued role in community life, and
• Environmental integrity of the property which will be determined through research and possibly testing conducted by an independent contractor of NeighborSpace.

It may be helpful to know that most successful NeighborSpace applications come from community groups that are already engaged in developing a site as a park or garden, or that have been working on the site for some time. NeighborSpace views such focused and sustained attention to a site's development as evidence of a community's commitment as well as its ability to preserve the site as green open space.

If you or your community group have a site in mind but have yet to begin to develop your park or garden, you may want to contact Chicago area "greening" organizations to link to their resources and expertise before applying to NeighborSpace.