Venice Neighborhood Council

PO Box 550, Venice, CA 90294 / www.VeniceNC.org

Email: / Phone or Fax: 310.606.2015

For Release: IMMEDIATE Contact: Marc Saltzberg

(310) 305-9660

Venice Neighborhood Council Selects Winners of Community Improvement Project Funding

Los Angeles, Calif., June 18, 2008—The Venice Neighborhood Council has selected 19 projects proposed by community based organizations and individuals to receive funding from its Community Improvement Program. This year the program is awarding a total of $39,546.

The program, unique among Los Angeles Neighborhood Councils, awards money to projects proposed by applicants using a system of competitive reviews. The funded projects were chosen from more than 40 proposals in a process that started in January.

The VNC Neighborhood Committee ranked the projects, scoring each according to criteria such as completeness, community support, benefit to the community and involvement of VNC stakeholders in the implementation of the project. The top proposals were then funded in a way to maximize the number of projects receiving support from the Neighborhood Council. Last night the VNC board voted to award the money as recommended by the Neighborhood Committee.

The list of successful projects may be found below.

Three pictures are attached to this press release. Captions are as follows:

1.  LindaLucks_RobinMurez.jpg - Linda Lucks, VNC Vice-President, congratulates Robin Murez (left) on the Venice Public Art Forum's project "Venice Blvd. Landscape Completion"

2.  LindaLucks_RayCirino.jpg - Linda Lucks, VNC Vice-President and Ray Cirino discuss the LA Permaculture Guild's first-ranked project, Dudley Triangle Beautification

3.  Community ImproveGrantGroup.jpg - Representatives from 9 of the 19 projects receiving Community Improvement Grant Awards from the Venice Neighborhood Council at its Board Meeting on June 17th. Representatives pictured are:

Standing (Left to Right):

Barbara Schwan, "Masters In The Chapel" Concert Series; Terry Talbot, Custom Bycycle Expo; Stash Mileski, Venice Art Walls; Ray Cirino, Duley Triangle Landscaping; Julie Mann, Lighting the Learning Garden at Venice HS; Milton Rosenberg, Venice Beach Music Festival

Seated:

Jeffrey Fritz,VNC Neighborhood Committee Member;Robin Murez, Venice Blvd. Landscaping; Gollocks Murray, Dudley Triangle Landscaping; Linda Lucks, VNC Vice-President; Shelley Hochberg, Library Audio / Visual Equipment; Tanya Anton, Walgrove Garden Art

Projects receiving funding under the Venice Neighborhood Council's Community Improvement Project awards program:

Rank / Applicant / Project / Funding
1 / Los Angeles Permaculture Guild / Dudley Triangle Beautification / $ 2,500
2 / Venice Public Art Forum / Venice Blvd Landscape Completion / $ 2,500
3 / Venice Beach Music Fest / Venice Beach Music Fest 2008 / $ 2,350
4 / First Lutheran Church of Venice / "Masters In The Chapel" Concerts / $ 2,500
5 / Venice Arts / Ocean Front Walk Performers Video / $ 2,350
6 / Triple T Productions / Custom Bicycle Expo / $ 2,000
7 / The Learning Garden / Lighting The Learning Garden / $ 4,972
8 / Stash Maleski / Venice Art Walls Signs & Bin / $ 2,400
9 / Venice Artists Forum / Carnevale! / $ 2,350
10 / Mark Twain Middle School / Garden Benches / $ 2,000
11 / Venice 2000 / H.E.L.P.E.R. / Shoot For Life Basketball Tournament / $ 1,150
12 / Friends Of Walgrove School / Garden Art Installation / $ 2,499
13 / Ocean Charter School / Yard Beautification / $ 2,500
14 / Mildred Cursh Foundation / Companion Youth Learning Project / $ 1,750
15 / Friends Of The Venice Library / Library Audio/ Visual Equipment / $ 2,025
16 / Venice 2000 / H.E.L.P.E.R. / 4th AnnualSenior Citizens Prom / $ 1,548
17 / 826LA / Dogtown Books / $ 500
18 / Oakwood Basketball Clinic / Oakwood Basketball Clinic / $ 1,652
19 / Chrysalis / Lincoln Blvd Cleanup / $ 350
Total Funds Awarded / $39,546

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