Love Your Block offers thousands in neighborhood improvement grants

JACKSON, Tenn. — The Love Your Block grant program is headed towards its second round of the Neighborhood Improvement Initiative here in the Hub City.

Love Your Block is a City of Jackson program that offers mini-grants for residents to support projects that beautify and unite our neighborhoods, combat blight, and strengthen community pride.

“Love Your Block is all about bringing the community together, building the community. We would love for more people to apply for events especially block parties. So, if you have a neighborhood association, they qualify to be able to apply for a grant because with $1,000 dollars you could have a few block parties,” said Elvia Trejo.

The amount you are allocated depends on the project you aim propose.

“This year we have different tiers. We have two $5,000 dollar grants, two $2,500 dollar, two $1,000, and then two that range from $250 dollars to $1,000,” said Trejo.

This grant is available to various different auxiliaries in the Hub City.

“With this grant, it’s organizations, groups, high schools and colleges. So, this year we expanded to the whole city with a focus on midtown, downtown and east Jackson. But, schools and colleges will be able to apply for this and they can do community events–anything, as long as it’s free to the public,” said Trejo.

This initiative is something they hope encourages everyone to build a better Jackson.

“As long as they’re an organization a business or a group like church–a church group could apply to, let’s say, have a pocket park installed if it’s within the budget,” said Trejo.

They are currently accepting proposals for businesses, non-profits, churches, high schools, colleges, and community groups for neighborhood improvement projects.

They have a workshop coming up on August 13 from 12 p.m. until 1 p.m. at Jackson City Hall.

For more local news, click here.