neighborhood budget

What do you need to know

The municipality allocates an annual amount to each neighborhood. You can apply for a contribution from the neighborhood budget to work with your neighbors to improve the quality of life in your neighborhood. You'll make plans together and implement them. The municipality can collaborate with you and assist with implementation where possible. This will make Hilversum an even better place to live.

With the district budget you can, for example:

• Renovating a neighborhood garden or public space
• Adopt a piece of green space or create a facade garden
• Organizing a neighborhood barbecue or street play day
• Creating a mural
• Starting a walking group or exercise group
• Place benches or picnic tables
• Organizing activities for children or young people

Do you have another idea? Please let us know. If it's good for the neighborhood or district and for other residents, you can submit a request. 

What do you have to do

1. Contact the district manager
   1. Do you have a good idea for the neighborhood? Contact us by phone or email. contact your district managerYou can also pre-order complete the residents' initiatives registration formThis will automatically be sent to your district manager.
2. We think along with you
   1. The neighborhood coordinator will work with you to determine whether your idea fits within the neighborhood budget. The neighborhood coordinator will ask you to briefly explain what you need a contribution for and the amount involved.
3. To work!

If your plan goes ahead, you can receive a contribution from the neighborhood budget to help you implement your idea. The neighborhood coordinator is happy to help you, for example, with organizing or publicizing your initiative.

What we pay attention to

When you submit an application, we'll assess whether your idea is a good fit for the neighborhood and whether it would benefit multiple residents. We aim to use the neighborhood budget as effectively as possible so that as many people as possible benefit. The municipality has regulations governing what is and isn't permitted for residents' initiatives. Your neighborhood coordinator will be happy to discuss these with you.

For example, what we pay attention to:

• We use the money as efficiently as possible. We assess whether your activity is appropriate for the amount you are requesting.
• The initiative is for at least part of the neighborhood or district. It is therefore not intended for just one street.
• No legal costs. The district budget may not be used for lawsuits or other legal expenses.
• First, explore other options. You can only receive a contribution if the activity cannot be funded in any other way, for example, through sponsorship or another subsidy.

After your application for a district budget

• You can submit an application all year round
• After submitting all requested documents and information, we will process your application.
• For simple initiatives we can often provide you with a response within a few days

Decision-making and mandates for the district budget

• Small initiatives up to €2.000: district manager -> strategic advisor/team manager
• Initiatives from €2.000 to €10.000: district director -> strategic advisor/team manager -> district councillor
• Large initiatives from €10.000 to €25.000: district director -> strategic advisor/team manager -> district councillor -> portfolio holder for Districts and Neighbourhoods
• More than €25.000: district director -> strategic advisor/team manager -> portfolio holder for Districts and Neighborhoods 

Available before 2026

Neighborhood opportunities budget

In addition to the neighborhood budgets, there is the neighborhood opportunities budget, from which an annual amount of €75.000 can be allocated to special neighborhood opportunities. These often involve cross-district initiatives. The Alderman for Neighborhoods and Neighborhoods decides on the allocation from this budget. 

The neighborhood opportunities budget is intended for one-time contributions to projects or initiatives in a neighborhood or district. These can be quick actions that respond to current developments, or contributions to larger city-wide projects to improve the quality of life and social cohesion in Hilversum.

Neighbourhood Opportunities Budget Terms and Conditions

• The initiative comes from (groups of) residents or external partners from the district/neighbourhood
• There is support from several groups in the area; it is not an initiative of 1 interest group
• The initiative is accessible to various people
• It should preferably be in line with neighborhood priorities (District Plans 2025-2026)
• The plan complements existing activities and duplication is avoided
• There is own commitment and preferably co-financing

What do you have to do

• Please contact us by phone or email contact the district manager
• You can also first complete the residents' initiatives registration form, that also goes to the district manager
• We review your plan
  • The district manager checks whether your idea fits within the district opportunities budget
  • You are asked to explain in concrete terms what you are requesting a contribution for and what that contribution is.
• You can get started
  • If your plan is approved, you will receive a contribution from the neighborhood opportunities budget
  • For larger initiatives we expect the initiators to organize a lot themselves
  • The district manager can advise and support you in making your initiative known

After your application for the neighborhood opportunities budget

• You can submit an application all year round
• Once you have submitted all the requested documents and information, we will process your application.
• You will receive a decision within 13 weeks of the application date.

Decision-making and mandates

Neighborhood Opportunities Budget up to €75.000: Neighborhoods and Districts portfolio holder, with advice from the neighborhood coordinator and strategic advisor/team manager 

also look at

• Your neighborhood
• District budget 2025
• District budget 2024
• District budget 2023
• District budget 2022
• District budget 2021
• District budget 2020
• General Subsidy Regulation Hilversum 2021