Love Your Block Community Building Grants
Love Your Block was formed as a program that brings residents together to complete projects in their neighborhood. While the physical projects focused on trash and blight remediation, community and capacity building are also a key component. The goal is to help people get to know their neighbors and complete projects that they deem important. Now more than ever, we understand the need connect with each other and support our community. Fill out an application to show us how you could use some funding to build community and help your neighbors!
2023 Love Your Block Grant Categories
• Community Building: Intended for projects that aim to bring neighbors together and make improvements on your block
• Neighborhood Art: Intended for projects that bring neighbors together through creative practices
• Community and Police Relations: Intended for projects that improve or strengthen the relationship between the Lancaster City Bureau of Police and city residents
Application Deadlines
March 17, 2023 — For projects occurring May–August 2023
July 4, 2023 — For projects occurring September–December 2023
Application Links
Love Your Block Grant Application – English
Ama Tu Bloque Mini Solicitud de Subvención – Español
Important: Please read the Love Your Block Grant Guidelines below before applying.
Love Your Block Grant Guidelines
Each Love Your Block grant may not exceed $500. For 2023, a total of $12,000 in grant funding is available for each of the three (3) grant categories (community building, neighborhood art, community and police relations.)
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 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.