Buffalo, New York – Mayor Byron W. Brown announced today that the deadline to apply for a ‘Love Your Block’ mini-grant has been extended from June 1, 2022 to June 15, 2022, to accommodate all those who wish to apply for a grant but were delayed due to the challenging events of the past two weeks. In addition, organizers of the initiative are strongly encouraging City residents or City resident-led groups in the Jefferson Avenue area to apply for a grant, as well as those in the Fruit Belt neighborhood, in honor of Ms. Katherine ‘Kat’ Massey, who was among the ten people shot and killed on May 14 at the Tops on Jefferson Avenue.

“We know that our community is hurting, but we also know that people are looking for ways to lift each other up,” said Mayor Brown. “What better way to help your neighbor than to apply for a ‘Love Your Block’ mini grant, funds that will help transform or beautify our diverse neighborhoods.”

Mayor Brown announced in early May that City residents or eligible City resident-led groups could apply for a block beautification grant. Now in its fourth year, the ‘Love Your Block’ program awards grants of up to $1,500 to community groups, block clubs and small locally owned businesses.

Applicants residing in the Jefferson Avenue neighborhood, Fruit Belt, Broadway-Fillmore, Kensington-Bailey, Masten Park, Riverside, Lower West Side and Upper West Side neighborhoods will be given preference, however, all eligible applicants from neighborhoods in the City of Buffalo are engaged to apply.

Love Your Block has funded a total of 60 projects across 22 neighborhoods through its previous grant cycles. Proposed project must fall in one of the four categories:

Vacant Lot Activation:

Community Garden/greenhouse, playground, public art installation, and reactional space

Community Space Revitalization:

Repairs or modifications to community facilities (schools, community centers, park shelters, senior centers, etc.), graffiti removal and/or replacement of graffiti with a mural, planting trees and/or landscaping community facilities

Accessibility Improvements:

Implementing creative lighting, replacing broken or worn-out litter bins, creating/managing a “tool library” where neighborhood groups can borrow & return tools for cleanup projects

Streetscape Improvements:

Community volunteer-led beautification on business strips in the identified target areas. This includes landscaping, art installments, pedestrian spaces, lighting improvements, and public safety

If you need assistance with completing an application, workshops will be held on the following dates at the following locations:

June 2, 2022/The Belle Center 104 Maryland St./5:30pm-6:30pm

June 9, 2022/Delavan Grider Community Center/877 E. Delavan Avenue/ 5:30-6:30pm