Love Your Block Mini-Grants

The City of Long Beach has launched the second round of its Love Your Block Mini-Grants, a community-focused initiative designed to empower residents in West Long Beach to lead neighborhood improvement projects. Rooted in civic engagement and public trust-building, the program supports resident-led solutions that align with the Westside Promise, a 10-year community investment plan focused on addressing historic inequities in the 90810 zip code. This initiative is part of a broader effort by the City to reverse systemic underinvestment and foster meaningful collaboration between local government and community members. The Love Your Block program offers mini-grants of up to $2,500 to eligible residents proposing projects that improve neighborhood conditions. In this round, funding will support initiatives that reduce exposure to poor indoor and outdoor air quality, promote clean air education and tools, enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety, and build advocacy capacity around street and environmental improvements. The program seeks to inspire and facilitate visible, localized change that directly responds to the needs and lived experiences of West Long Beach residents. Eligibility for this opportunity is limited to individuals aged 18 or older who reside in Long Beach and propose projects within the 90810 zip code. While nonprofit organizations and businesses are not eligible to apply directly, they may support resident-led efforts through donations, materials, or volunteer participation. Applicants are encouraged to align their proposals with the program’s 2025–2026 focus area: Transportation Efficiency and Clean Air. This focus reflects community concerns about air pollution from high vehicle traffic, lack of pedestrian infrastructure, and limited access to safe, walkable spaces—issues that disproportionately affect children and seniors. Applications for this round are open through March 31, 2026. Residents can apply online in multiple languages including English, Spanish, Khmer, and Tagalog. The application process is designed to be accessible and community-oriented, and applicants are advised to reference the provided scoring rubric when crafting proposals. Proposals will be evaluated based on alignment with the challenge, project feasibility, community engagement, equity and impact, and budget clarity. The Love Your Block program is supported by the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University, which has provided $100,000 in funding to the City of Long Beach for resident engagement and mini-grant distribution across two cycles. The City’s Technology and Innovation Department, under the leadership of Chief Innovation Officer Jonathan Williams-Kinsel, administers the grant. Since its inception in March 2024, Love Your Block has contributed to significant community improvements nationwide and locally, including five funded projects during the program's first round in December 2025. Interested applicants are encouraged to learn more and apply via the Love Your Block Mini-Grant Application portal. Questions can be directed to Jonathan Williams-Kinsel at [email protected]. The program continues to invite community involvement through volunteerism and collaboration, offering residents a tangible way to shape the future of their neighborhood while building civic pride and trust.

Align clearly with focus area and emphasize community engagement; use rubric when crafting proposal