Great Neighborhoods Partnership

About the Great Neighborhoods Partnership 

Getting to know your neighbors and being engaged in your community can be a rewarding experience for you and your neighbors. Organizing or joining a neighborhood group or association is a great way to get involved.

Bentonville’s Great Neighborhoods Partnership connects the Mayor’s core goals of transparency and improved communication with residents to the Community Plan’s goal of stronger neighborhoods to establish Bentonville as a “great place to plant roots.”

Great communities are a collection of great neighborhoods. Great neighborhoods are friendly, safe, attractive and engaged: 

Neighborhood-Characteristics-Graphic


Components

The Bentonville Great Neighborhood Partnership has four components:

Neighborhood-Components-Graphic

Scroll down for more information about each component.

Planning & Support

Comprehensive Planning staff provides assistance for neighborhood associations - those organizing or already organized. They provide resources and tips on neighborhood organizing, neighborhood events, and goal setting.

Neighborhood Organizing

The first step is to check if a neighborhood association (or property owner association) already exists in your area. Contact staff and they can help you make this determination. If one does exist, reach out to the contact person to see how to become involved.

If no association exists, talk to some of your neighbors to gauge interest in organizing. If there is interest, set up a meeting with a core group to discuss. 

The key to a good neighborhood association is getting to know your neighbors and a good way to do this is through communication. A quick and efficient method is to setup a Facebook group page or use Nextdoor, a provide social network for your neighborhood. Door-to-door visits, while more time consuming, is an effective way to gather information, determine the level of interest in establishing a neighborhood association, and get to know your neighbors.

As the program grows, resources will be added to the webpage and made available. Contact staff for assistance in establishing a neighborhood association, help in determining appropriate geographical boundaries, and more information about the program. 

Planning and Goal Setting

Having goals for the association can help members feel they are working toward improving their neighborhood. Contact staff for assistance with prioritizing neighborhood goals and preparing a plan for implementation.  

Planning & Support Resources

The city offers the preparation of neighborhood maps and other information for registered neighborhoods. Contact staff to request materials to help with organizing or goal setting.

See our Neighborhood Organizing Guide.

Neighborhood Partners


Neighborhood Partners is the registry of active neighborhoods participating in the Great Neighborhoods Partnership that meet certain eligibility criteria. These can be existing neighborhood associations, property owner associations (POA), and homeowner associations (POA) or those neighborhoods just beginning to organize.

Partner Principles

The principles of participation in the Great Neighborhoods Partnership are:

Led by the Residents

Neighborhood residents must lead the process of organizing. the city provides assistance and programs, but does not take the lead in organizing residents. 

Long Term Commitment

Neighborhood residents must be committed to the association to ensure its resiliency over time. 

Inclusive of All Residents

Neighborhood events and programs must be inclusive of all residents, business and organizations that wish to participate.

Host Engaging Activities

The neighborhood association must hold activities that engage its residents, including events, meetings, and projects.


Organizational Status

Neighborhood Partners can register in either an Activating or Active status, depending on which criteria they meet. Activating neighborhoods can change to the Active status upon meeting the criteria.


Eligibility Criteria

Criteria		Activating
Neighborhoods just
beginning to organize		Active
Existing neighborhood associations, POA’s or HOA’s
Approved neighborhood boundaries
X
X
Adopted
neighborhood name		XX
At least two meetings held annuallyXX
Adopted bylaws
X
Elected officer
X
At least one neighborhood event per year
X (Requirement waived during the COVID-19 pandemic)


Neighborhood Partner Resources

Criteria for becoming a Great Neighborhoods Partner (PDF)

Map of Great Neighborhoods Partners (PDF)

Register as a Great Neighborhoods Partner (online form)

Neighborhood Programs


Bentonville’s Great Neighborhoods Partnership offers programs to help neighborhood associations develop strong neighborhoods that are friendly, safe, attractive and engaged. The programs are available to neighborhoods that are registered as a Great Neighborhoods Partner.


Block Party Trailer 

The Block Party Trailer includes everything you need to host a block party for your neighborhood. The trailer is available at no cost for registered neighborhood partners.

The goal of the Block Party Trailer is to make it easier for neighbors to gather together and spend enjoyable time with one another. By spending time with neighbors and strengthening those relationships, communities become more resilient 

Neighborhood Cleanups

From gloves to garbage bags and safety vests we’ve got you covered with everything you need in our Litter Cleanup Kit. Simply fill out the online form and we’ll get the kit ready for pick up at our office. Each kit contains safety vests, litter grabbers, garbage bags and recycling bags, signage and a litter clean-up safety guide. 

  • Kits must be checked out for use in Bentonville, Arkansas.
  • Kits are checked out for a one week period.
  • Kits must be requested at least two weeks prior to clean-up date.
  • If an item is damaged during the clean-up, return the damaged item with the kit and let us know.
  • An evaluation is included with each kit. The information from the evaluation will be used to assess the success of the litter kit check out program. In order to be eligible to check-out a kit in the future, you must return the evaluation.
  • All items MUST be returned EXCEPT garbage bags. Garbage bags are to be placed at the nearest major intersection for pickup by city crew. 
  • Request a Neighborhood Cleanup Kit (online form)


Neighborhood Holiday Decorating Contest

The Great Neighborhoods Partnership hosted the first Neighborhood Holiday Decorating Contest in 2020 and will be doing it again in 2021. Details will be available in November. 

Radar Speed Trailer

Neighborhood speeding is a common concern for residents. If your neighborhood feels speeding is getting out of control, reach out the the Neighborhoods Team to request a radar speed trailer. 

Neighborhood Advisory Committee


The Bentonville Neighborhood Advisory Committee (NAC) facilitates communication between city council, city staff and neighborhoods. The NAC, made up of representative from registered Neighborhood Partners, provides feedback to and collaborate with the city to develop solutions on issues pertinent to neighborhoods. 

Neighborhood Advisory Committee Meetings

First Tuesday of the Month

11:00 a.m.

Via Zoom

Build-up-bentonville#BuildUpBentonville is the Mayor Orman’s initiative to share ideas, resources and good news to help Bentonville citizens stay positive and connected to each other. Click on the logo to learn more.