This program has been established by the Lake County Board of County Commissioners to offer designated communities support and assistance with community-driven improvement efforts. The program is to be an incentive for neighborhood groups and organizations to become active partners in making the community what the residents want it to be, to improve their overall quality of life, and provide a clear benefit to the low and moderate-income community residents.

The purpose of the Community Enhancement Area Partnership Program is to coordinate the delivery of services to Lake County's unincorporated communities with increased involvement by the community residents. It is believed that using this approach to community enhancement will:

• Build community-based interest in addressing quality of life issues;
• Increase the ability of Lake County's unincorporated communities to
  maintain the improvements;
• Increase the communications, planning and coordination between the communities and Lake County government;
• Increase the return on dollars spent, which in turn increases opportunities
  to receive more resources; and,
• Improve neighborhood-level trust and confidence in County Government.

Eligible Applicants:

• Neighborhood organizations/groups of citizens interested in working on neighborhood improvement projects
• Associations with 501(c)(3) status

Examples of Eligible Improvements:

• Community beautification
• Infrastructure improvements
• Safety/crime prevention programs
• Recreation programs
• After-school programs
• Activities and services for seniors

General Criteria:

• The designated area should be primarily used for residential purposes and demonstrate a potential for economic development.
• All applicants must complete a Community Conditions Survey that will assess the needs of the community and give the residents a chance to critically examine its strengths and limitations.
• There should be an existing or growing movement to improve the community's quality of life. This can best be achieved by combining the efforts of non-profit groups, church organizations, homeowners associations, neighborhood watch groups, and others. A list of representatives and a designated spokesperson will need to be identified.
• The designated community will need to decide what it wants to be and, with the County's help, make a plan of how to get there.
• Specific projects/services will need to be identified. A budget to implement the proposed improvements will need to be part of the plan.
• The community is expected to contribute to the overall improvement effort. Contributions can be by cash, volunteer efforts, material, private grants or any combination of those resources.
• The County will handle the administrative functions for the funding it contributes to the improvement effort.
• A plan explaining how the community will fund or maintain the improvement in the future must also be part of the improvement plan.

Participating Agencies:

• Lake County Department of Community Services
• Lake County Department of Economic Development & Tourism
• Lake County Department of Growth Management
• Lake County Department of Public Works
• Lake County Health Department
• Lake County School Board
• Lake County Sheriff's Office