Love Your Block
Love Your Block, Newark! connects residents with City departments and community organizations to implement neighborhood-level beautification, revitalization, and community-building projects. The overall goal of the Love Your Block program is to revitalize and beautify our neighborhoods one block at a time. Since the start of the program, 37 community-based organizations were awarded Love Your Block grants.
Meet the Love Your Block, Newark! Grantees
2024
North Ward
- Clark Street Block
- Northwest Developers
- STEAM URBAN Farms & Gardens
South Ward
- Girard and Randolph Place Block Association
- Newark Community Street Team
- Weequahic Park Sports Authority
- Urban Agriculture Cooperative
West Ward
- Abbotsford Artisans for Autism Collaborative
- Bridging the Blocks Association
- Circle of Life Shelter
- Operation Give Back Now
- Push Healing & Helping Together
- Rare Gems
- Sanford Place Block Association & Friends Inc.
Central Ward
- Brothers Building a Better Nation
- Cherish Your Neighborhood
Multiple Wards
- Mount Prospect Heights Community Garden (North & Central Ward)
- I Blossomed in Newark (North, East, Central Ward)
2023
South Ward
West Ward
- Abbotsford Neighbors Beautification
- Sanford Place Block Association and Friends Inc.
2021
South Ward
West Ward
Central Ward
2020
South Ward
West Ward
- Giving One Tenth
- Norwood Haven Redesign!
- Neighbors Who See Something and Say Something
- Eastern Parkway Sidewalk Beautification Project
- Beautiful Mead Street
- The Late Bloomer Project - Cut the Block
Central Ward
2019
South Ward
- L.I.F.T. As We Climb, Inc.
- Schley Street South Blitebegone
- South 17th & 18th Streets Neighborhood Association
- The City of Newark Youth Working Group
- Union Chapel Community Development Corporation
How to apply for a Love Your Block grant
Love Your Block, Newark! application is now open. Apply here!
Use link this for the most up-to-date information on the 2025 funding cycle.
Youth-led projects, projects focused on the Ironbound neighborhood, and groups that have never been awarded a Love Your Block grant are prioritized!
2025 Key Dates and Deadlines:
- Application portal open for submissions: February 14, 2025-March 31, 2025
- Information and Idea Brainstorming Sessions (Registration is required.): March 10-26, 2025
- March 10 - West Ward - Cohosted with Councilman Dupre Kelly's Office
- March 11 - Central Ward - Cohosted with Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District
- March 13 - South Ward - Cohosted with Weequahic Park Association
- March tbd - North Ward - Cohosted with Forest Hill Association
- March 21 - East Ward - Cohosted with East Ward Community Center
- March 26 - Virtual
- Application deadline: March 31, 2025
- Selection Committee Review Period: April 2025
- Grantee Announcement: May 1, 2025
- Grantee Orientation Workshop: Date tbd in May
- Project implementation period: June 1, 2025-August 15, 2025
- Final report submission: August 31, 2025
- Celebration event: February 12, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Love Your Block Program qualifications?
- Newark-resident led
- Projects must take place in Newark
- Projects must be volunteer-led
- Projects must demonstrate a creative solution to issues affecting your neighborhood
- Projects must show clear support from the community
- Projects must address a goal that is shared by community members
What are some examples of past projects?
Projects address blight, beautify the neighborhood, and improve the quality life, health and safety.
- Vacant lot clean ups and converting them into community gardens
- Community gardens creation
- Front yard landscaping on multiple homes on a single block
- Minor home repairs and yard work for neighbors in need
- Painting public benches in a neighborhood playground
- Installing dog waste stations
- Improving signage in communities
- Creating murals
- Creating placemaking and space activation
- Educated young people on basic landscaping techniques
How do I apply for a grant?
The Love Your Block program begins every year on Valentine's Day. Groups of neighbors are invited to learn about the application process through the Love Your Block Information Sessions and Brainstorming Workshops and our Office Hours (dates to be announced). Once the groups have determined their project idea, they are invited to apply for a grant of up to $5,000. The grant review committee will review and score each application. The applications with the highest scores will be awarded a grant.
Each grantee must sign and submit the grantee agreement and attend an orientation session in May 2025. Once this is completed, grantees can begin implementing their projects. All projects must be completed by August 15, 2025 and all final documents must be submitted by August 30, 2025. Once the Love Your Block team receives, reviews, and approves the documents, the grantee will be reimbursed for the funds expended.
What are the application materials?
What are the required items for my application?
- Contact information
- Project budget with itemized materials
- A step-by-step project implementation plan
- An image of your project site
- List of confirmed partners
- Business Registration Certificate (BRC)
- W-9 Tax Form
What items are not covered under the Love Your Block program?
- Staff time
- Administrative fees
- Some promotional materials are covered (contact the Love Your Block team if you have any questions)
Once I complete the grant what documents are required for submission?
- Itemized expense form that reflect the budget (unless a budget modification was preapproved by the Office of Sustainability)
- Submit financial documents that must include receipts and/or invoices and backup financial documents that may include bank statements, credit card statements, Zelle, Venmo, or Cash App receipts.
- Event report(s) (if applicable)
- Final report with photographs and video clips (if available)
Do you provide interpretation or materials in other languages?
Contactanos si necesita interpretación.
Contacta-nos se precisar interpretação.
Who should I contact if I have any questions or need additional information?
loveyourblock@ci.newark.nj.us
