LOVE YOUR BLOCK COMMUNITY BUILDING GRANTS

Love Your Block is a grant program that helps the City of Lancaster strengthen neighborhoods through resident-powered improvement projects. Since it’s inception the Department of Neighborhood Engagement has awarded over 60 community projects. Love Your Block is a program established in partnership with Cities of Service, Bloomberg Philanthropies and its continued support and program enhancements in partnership with the High Foundation.

 

LOVE YOUR BLOCK CATEGORIES

• River Connections: storm drain mural projects that support clean water initiatives and educates residents on how the Conestoga River is connected to the city. Learn more about River Connections at www.cityoflancasterpa.gov/river-connections.

• Community Connections: projects that build relationships between neighbors and creates a welcoming environment.

• Safety Connections: projects that connect residents with Public Safety–Police or Fire–to establish trust or encourage residents to choose a career in Public Safety.

 

LOVE YOUR BLOCK GRANT GUIDELINES

Available Funds
Each Love Your Block grant may not exceed $500.
*note that River Connections grantees will receive $300. The remaining funds will automatically be put toward the trash cleaning work.

 

Block Party Funds & Trailer Usage
The Love Your Block grant and Love Your Block trailer must be used for public, inclusive, community-based initiatives. Event/project hosts and organizers or their partners/vendors cannot include proselytizing, evangelizing, or political campaigning.

 

The Love Your Block funds and the Love Your Block trailer are intended for the use of residents of Lancaster City. If an applicant is not a resident of the city but their organization or event/project directly positively impacts city residents, they may be considered. Love Your Block funds and the Love Your Block trailer cannot be used to support efforts outside of Lancaster City.

 

Expectations
All Love Your Block recipients will be expected to submit a reporting form following the completion of your project, which should include documentation of the project and number of participants or attendees.

 

If you are applying for a River Connections Love Your Block grant, you must host a neighborhood clean-up prior to the mural installation. This helps you and your neighbors understand that connection between clean neighborhoods and clean water. The City of Lancaster and Lancaster Clean Water Partners will cover the artist payment and cost related to trash removal.

 

You can do this on your own and the city will provide clean up supplies, or we offer a partnership with the Block Rite program which will organize the whole clean up at no cost to you.

 

If you are choosing to request the Block Party Trailer, there will be a $25 refundable deposit to ensure that it is not returned with any damages or missing items. Failure to return the Block Party Trailer as it was delivered to you will result in forfeiting the deposit.

 

Block Party Trailer Process
To request the block party trailer, Love Your Block applicants can indicate their interest on the Love Your Block application. It will be assigned on a first come first serve basis with priority for resident-led events. Organizations can request the use of the trailer as well, but priority goes to residents.

 

The Department of Neighborhood Engagement will manage the calendar for the Block Party trailer and coordinate with the Department of Public Works on its availability for drop-off and pick-up.

 

LOVE YOUR BLOCK GRANT APPLICATION

Application will be available on February 14

 

Phase I
Applications Accepted: February 14 through March 27
Awards Announced: April 18

 

Phase II
Applications Accepted: May 8 through June 12
Awards Announced: July 8

HAVE QUESTIONS?

neighborhoods@cityoflancasterpa.gov

 

SPONSORS

The “Love Your Block” Mini-Grants are made possible through the support of the High Foundation and Cities of Service.

 

“River Connections” Love Your Block Mini-Grants are made possible through support from the Lancaster Clean Water Partners.

 

Project Reporting Form