Love Your Block Mini-Grant

Love Your Block Mini-Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: City of Newark
Amount: Up to US $5,000
Last Updated: February 15, 2026

Summary

The Love Your Block Mini-Grant, funded by the City of Newark, aims to enhance community engagement and beautification efforts. This program invites individuals, resident groups, and community organizations to apply for funding to tackle blight through various projects, such as litter reduction and revitalization of public spaces. Grants up to $5,000 will support initiatives that foster pride in neighborhoods and involve local volunteers. Applications are subject to review, ensuring alignment with community needs and city objectives.

Overview

Love Your Block Mini-Grant ‍The City of Newark Love Your Block Program connects residents with city departments and community organizations to implement neighborhood-level beautification and community-building projects. The overall goal of the Love Your Block program is to prevent blight and revitalize our neighborhoods one block at A time. Purpose The purpose of these grant funds shall be used to enable individuals, resident groups, and/or community-based organizations to partner with City agencies to beautify and revitalize neighborhoods through projects that prevent and eliminate blight, including but not limited to projects that: reduce litter or improve recycling and waste management throughout the City of Newark; repurpose underutilized properties and parcels to increase community benefits surrounding underused and vacant buildings and lots; and/or create a sense of pride of ownership around residential facilities, City-owned parks and open spaces, and other areas of community significance. Application for Funding The City shall make Love Your Block Mini-Grants Program funds available to eligible individuals, resident groups, and/or community-based organizations who apply for them in response to a formal Request for Proposal issued by the City of Newark, pursuant to the Local Public Contracts Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:11-1, et seq. Applicants) are encouraged to submit proposals designed to beautify and revitalize neighborhoods through projects that prevent and eliminate blight. All proposals for the Love Your Block Mini-Grants Program shall be subject to review, approval, and comment by the Business Administrator.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Eligibility Limitations: Individuals, resident groups, and/or community-based organizations may only submit one:Application in response to a formal Request for Proposal issued by the City of Newark for grant funding under the Love Your Block Mini-Grants Program. Individuals, resident groups, and/or community-based organizations who meet the following criteria shall be eligible to receive a Love Your Block Mini-Grant, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Ordinance:Applications for proposed projects must not exceed the funding maximum of $5,000 per project. Proposed projects must be volunteer-ed including a minimum of six (6) City of Newark residents that have agreed to volunteer to help implement the proposed project. Applications must align with the core Purpose of the Love Your Block Mini-Grants Program, namely, to prevent and eliminate blight. Proposed projects must meet the program purpose and objectives, community benefit, community involvement, public improvements enhancement, visibility of improvement, etc. Proposed projects should be considerate of neighborhood character and adhere to the City of Newark goals and objectives including those articulated in the Newark Forward report, the City of Newark Sustainability Action Plan, the City of Newark Master Plan, and neighborhood redevelopment plans.Eligible Projects. The following is a list of projects that help address public health, safety, and quality of life concerns of the City and that may be eligible for grant funding under the Love Your Block Mini-Grants Program:Any project that through clean up, beautifies, or revitalizes the community to eliminate blight including, but not limited to litter and debris removal and prevention along residential streets, commercial corridors, parks and open spaces, vacant lots, etc.Any project that helps to improve the curb appeal of the neighborhoods and commercial corridors, including but not limited to the removal of overgrown vegetation and broken fencing, improvements to street lighting, and block-wide beautification projects, etc.Any project that helps to increase or improve the community's use of existing and newly created green & open spaces including but not limited to repurposing vacant lots to develop gardens, greening barren areas with tree and flower plantings, and improvements in décor, amenities and programming in existing underutilized green and open spaces.

Ineligibility

Ineligible Projects:The following is a list of projects that are not eligible for grant funding under the Love Your Block Mini-Grants Program:Projects that do not provide a public benefit and/or are not visible to the community.Projects that do not comply with any State, or local laws or regulations.Projects on private property for the sole benefit of the property owner.Projects for which food and drink exceed 20% of the proposed budget.Projects requesting funding for salaries or operating expenses.Projects that may result in a public safety hazard.