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Neighbourhood budget

The neighbourhood budget (wijkbudget) is a form of financial support for the ideas of our residents for other residents. You can receive money for activities where residents can get to know each other better or help each other out.

The goal of the neighbourhood budget is to improve the areas where people live. It can be big or small, for the street, the whole neighbourhood or even a city district.

You can use the neighbourhood budget for the following examples:

  • Organising a neighbourhood party
  • Starting a language class
  • Maintaining a vegetable garden together
  • Doing sport events together
  • Start a volunteer pick-up and drop-off service to take elderly people to community centres. That way they can participate in communal activities, for example
  • Paying the costs of a residents' association or residents' committee, such as office supplies

You cannot use the neighbourhood budget for the following examples:

  • Personnel costs
  • Travel expenses
  • Parking costs
  • Gifts
  • Food and drinks

Neighbourhood budget application

  • The gebiedssecretaris (area secretary) of the district where the activity or initiative is taking place is responsible for your application.
  • You have to send the application a minimum of 6 weeks before the event.
  • Keep possible permits or notices that you may need in mind. Handling these matters can cost valuable time.
  • You can apply for multiple activities or initiatives. It is possible to have more than 1 application per year.

Neighbourhood budget review

The gebiedssecretaris (area secretary) of the district where you live will determine whether or not you can receive the neighbourhood budget.

Attachments

  • Budget. Make sure fill in your expenses as close as possible to what you think you will spend. Once you have received your budget, you will no longer receive any more money.
  • You can also add other documents, such as tenders or a map with an outline where you will place tents or other objects.

Processing of application

  • The gebiedssecretaris will contact you after you have submitted your application. You will hear if you have to provide more information
  • If your application has been approved and you have received the grant letter, it can take about 4 weeks for the money to be wired to your account
  • Within 3 months of the activity's end, you have to send your information that shows where you spent the money on. Send bills (invoices) and receipts of all the expenses you made to organise the activity
  • You will usually have to send a short (photographic) report of what the activity meant for the neighbourhood

Sometimes a notice or permit is necessary

You will sometimes have to file a notice or apply for a permit if you organise an event.

You will need to file a notice if, for example:

  • Your event is outside
  • You will make a lot of sound
  • You want to organise something in the evening

If there are objects bigger than 25 m2, such as tents or air cushions, then you will have to contact the gebiedssecretaris. Write an email to info@almere.nl or call 14 036.

You will need a permit if, for example:

  • You want to make use of an event venue (in Dutch)
  • You expect more than 100 visitors
  • The activity lasts longer than 1 day

You may include the costs (fees) of a permit in your application for the neighbourhood budget.

Read more information about sending a notice or applying for a permit.

Foundation or association

Are you part of a foundation or an association (or other legal entity)? The foundation or association may not be a for-profit organisation.

Other subsidies and crowdfunding

We would like to see that the money for big activities or projects does not only come from the neighbourhood budget, but that at least a minimum of 1 other party is involved (co-financier). Think of a different group of residents, funds, donations or other granting bodies. We call activities or projects big when they are important for more than 1 neighbourhood and if they cost thousands of euros. If you have any questions, then feel free to contact the gebiedssecretaris.

Questions

Do you have any questions about the neighbourhood budget? Then you can call 14 036 or write an email to info@almere.nl. You can also contact us even if you won't submit a digital application for the neighbourhood budget, or if you have further questions about notices or permits. Ask for the gebiedssecretaris if your gebiedskantoor (area office) is close to your neighbourhood (in Dutch).