Win grant money to show love for your block
The Citizens Committee for New York City is accepting applications for the 2012 “Love Your Block” grant program.
A special partnership between the group and the office of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Love Your Block is a unique opportunity for city residents to attain some funding to beautify their neighborhoods.
Volunteer-led community groups can submit applications through the Nov. 8 deadline for cash grants of between $500 and $1,000 to transform a city block. Each group awarded a grant — winners will be announced in early December — will also be provided with project-planning and community-building assistance, as well as help getting local media coverage of their efforts.
The city Parks, Transportation and Sanitation departments will be providing key assistance to grantees such as block tenant and civic associations as well as school groups and community gardening groups who want to do their best to transform their neighborhoods. Groups can be ones existing already within their community or formed specifically for this initiative.
Examples of city services available through the program include trash collection, vacant lot cleanup, graffiti removal, dead tree removal, tree planting, providing woodchip mulch for gardening projects, repairing and installation of street signs and street lights and traffic safety surveys.
An application workshop will be held at Queens Borough Hall, Room 213, at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 20. RSVP for the workshop is required via e-mail at jeastman@citizensnyc.org or via phone at 212-822-9578.
Contact Saleen Shah at 212-822-9566 or sshah@citizensnyc.org for more information about the grants or to request an application form.
— Connor Adam Sheets
