Mayor Luke Ravenstahl says applications are available for the city’s spring 2013 Love Your Block grant award program.
The program gives up to 30 organizations $1,000 to purchase supplies and equipment necessary to implement a neighborhood block project that utilizes community volunteers.
While much of the money for Love Your Block comes from the Home Depot Foundation, Mayoral spokesperson Joanna Doven said because of the program’s success, the city has been able to go after more grant funding.
“For example over the last two years, neighbors who received Love Your Block grants impacted about 50 neighborhood blocks by collecting 7,000 pounds of litter, creating 100 green spaces, and leveraging over 700 volunteers,” Doven said.
Doven also said Love Your Block has been so successful because it improves Pittsburgh on a micro level.
“the point is it’s really impacting neighborhoods block-by-block and improving the sense of community pride amongst our neighbors,” she said. “And the program is growing because it’s been so popular: we have more applicants than we have funds.”
Applicants must be a qualified nonprofit or have the support of a nonprofit fiscal agent, and the impacted area must be within city limits. Project implementation will take place between April 27 and June 30, 2013. Local nonprofit organizations have until February 14, 2013 to apply.
