Mayor Ravenstahl's servePGH
Mayor Ravenstahl's Love Your Block - Grant Application

Description of Program

Love Your Block is a program created by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and The Home Depot Foundation to revitalize our City - block by block! Here's how it works: Nonprofit organizations from across Pittsburgh are invited to propose projects to transform their blocks with a $1,000 Home Depot gift card and the support of key City Departments. Competitive projects will be selected, after which City agencies will engage with awarded group members and listen to their block improvement requests. They will then proceed to carry out the requested services, as feasible. With grant money, the selected groups purchase equipment and supplies, engage their neighbors, and roll up their sleeves to carry out their own brand of block beautification and repair.

Make sure you rally volunteers and put forth your best effort, because all grantees are automatically considered for an additional $2,000 Home Depot gift card prize given to the most impressive block transformation.

Each group must have a detailed and realistic action plan for engaging residents to carry out a physical transformation of the community spaces on their block.

Specifically, each group must:

  • Be a qualified nonprofit organization.
    • For purposes of Mayor Ravenstahl’s Love Your Block Program, a nonprofit organization shall be defined as a corporation, group, or association that exists for charitable and/or public purposes without a profit motive or shareholders.
    • Any organization that wishes to submit a proposal, but that is not a nonprofit organization as defined above, may propose to use another organization that meets this definition as its fiscal agent. In such cases, the organization proposing the activity must have a letter of support from the fiscal agent included in the application, or the application will be rejected.
  • Demonstrate the ability to mobilize a minimum of 20 neighborhood volunteers to take part in the revitalization of their block during a volunteer event day. 
  • Send two representatives to a grant orientation workshop where they will meet with representatives from the Mayor’s Office and select City departments

All projects meeting the above criteria will be considered; however, we will prioritize projects that:

  •  Provide resources for communities of veterans by:
    • Engaging veterans as volunteers
    • Impacting a neighborhood with a high concentration of veteran residents*
    • Working directly with a veterans organization
    • Impacting an outdoor community space utilized by and/or honoring veterans
  • Demonstrate a creative solution to issues affecting your neighborhood
  • Engage local residents as volunteers
  • Leverage other partnerships and/or additional donations

After project completion, grantees will be asked to submit photos of the block that was revitalized, and a written report that includes the number of blocks impacted, number of lots revitalized, square feet of graffiti removed, pounds of litter collected, number of trees planted, number of green spaces or community gardens created and other qualitative data to accompany it.

*Neighborhoods with a high concentration of veterans are defined as census tracts where the percentage of veteran residents is greater than the national average of 9.3%. A map of neighborhood census tracts and percentage of veteran residents can be found at here.

Contest Guidelines

As all selected grantees are automatically entered into the contest for most impressive block transformation, City staff will evaluate each project based on how well the grantee:

  • Demonstrated a solution to an identified neighborhood challenge
    • The space was transformed into an enjoyable gathering place for community members
    • The project addressed community concerns and issues of neighborhood sustainability
    • An entire block was impacted
  • Engaged the community and involved neighborhood volunteers
    • Many participants had meaningful participation at both the planning and implementation stages
    • Other neighborhood groups or institutions were involved
  • Exhibited creativity and resourcefulness
    • The group utilized available space and materials in creative ways
    • Additional donations and partnerships enhanced the project

In conducting the evaluation, staff will use the grantees’ final report forms; before and after photos; and, when feasible, visits to the project.

The contest award must be spent on additional site improvements on the same block as the project and used within six months of receiving the funds. Use of funds must be approved by the City; and receipt of contest award is contingent upon final execution of a separate grant agreement with the City of Pittsburgh and compliance with all Love Your Block requirements. 

 

Important Dates for the Spring 2013 Season

February 14th, 2013. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Application Deadline

March 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . .. . Grantees Announced 

April 2013. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mandatory Orientation for Grantees

April 27th- June 30th 2013. . . . . . . . . .Love Your Block Project Implementation

July 2013. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Contest Winner Announced

 

Please do not hesitate to call 412-255-2280 or email servepgh@pittsburghpa.gov with any questions.

 

 

Mayor's Office of Service and Civic Engagement
512 City County Building | 414 Grant Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
telephone: 412-255-2280 | facsimile 412-255-2988
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