CARROLLTON, ILLINOIS (EXCERPTS FROM THETELEGRAPH.COM): A Carrollton civic group is hoping to fund two studies that will help find ways the group can improve the community and library.
The Carrollton Square Initiative is a group created roughly a year ago to find ways to move forward in the community, bring businesses and new residents to the city. Pat Pinkston, a member of the group, said the city has applied for a United State Department of Agriculture Rural Business Grant for the organization as it is awaiting its non-profit designation from the state. “The city is partnering with us,” Pinkston said. “We have not received our not-for-profit designation, so the city applied for the grant for us.”
The group will look at areas of improvement, such as infrastructure, business growth, housing availability and building a sense of community. They also want to look into making Carrollton a green community and help find ways to make the city more energy efficient. Pinkston said the grant will more than cover two comprehensive studies the organization hopes to complete.
The first study, which will be conducted by Vandewalle and Associates, will study Carrollton and provide areas of improvement for the community, such as business opportunities or needs. “They will look at the community and region and find the areas where there are significant opportunities,” Pinkston said.
The second study would look at ways the organization and city could improve the Carrollton Public Library.
The grant asked for $65,000 and is a matching grant, which the organization will be raising money for once it receives its designation. Pinkston said the organization already has several pledges from businesses and organizations.
