Renaissance Block Challenge (RBC)

Program Status: Active; ninth consecutive year as of 2019; current status unknown

Geographic Scope: Jamestown, New York neighborhoods; 2019 focused on area around Allen Park and UPMC-Chautauqua

Program Description:
Encourages groups of neighbors to collaborate on exterior improvements to boost confidence in neighborhoods and inspire reinvestment.

Historical Impact (since 2011):

• 45 neighborhoods participated
• 450 property owners invested more than $1.3 million in exterior improvements and repairs

Eligible Projects:

• Painting
• Porch repair
• Soffit repair
• Sidewalk repair
• New mailboxes
• Exterior lighting
• Front-yard landscaping
• Front doors/windows
• Driveways and driveway aprons
• Gutters

Eligibility Requirements:

• Minimum of 5 property owners per neighborhood cluster
• Can include homeowners, landlords, and businesses
• Must demonstrate commitment to neighbor communication and shared sense of identity

Additional Benefits:

• Discounts from sponsoring hardware stores and garden centers
• Discounts on coordinated purchasing of materials, services, and design

Program Funding (2019):

• John Alfred and Oscar Johnson Memorial Trust
• The Lenna Foundation
• Chautauqua Region Community Foundation
• The Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation

Contact Information:

• Mary Maxwell, Neighborhood Project Associate
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: (716) 489-3493
• Address: JRC offices, 301 East 2nd Street, Suite 301, Jamestown, NY

Application Process for Renaissance Block Challenge

1. Form a Neighborhood Cluster
   • Minimum of 5 property owners
   • Can include homeowners, landlords, and businesses
2. Attend Informational Workshop (Recommended but not required)
   • All workshops cover the same content
   • Only need to attend one workshop
   • Typical dates: January
3. Submit Pre-Application
   • Available on JRC website under "Healthy Neighborhoods"
   • Typical deadline: Mid-February
   • Reviewed for initial approval
4. Receive Invitation to Final Application
   • Announced typically in March
   • Successful pre-applicants invited to proceed
5. Submit Final Application
   • Outline exterior improvements to be completed
   • Describe skills neighbors can bring to projects
   • Typical deadline: Mid-to-late April
6. Selection Criteria
   • Neighborhoods with strongest commitment to neighbor communication
   • Demonstrated sense of community identity
   • Potential for sustainable impact and momentum

Required Materials

• Pre-application form
• Final application form with project details and skills inventory