Many BIPOC, rural, and low-income communities across the United States lack access to dedicated civic spaces where community residents can organize, engage in public dialogue, and work to address local issues. This gap in our civic infrastructure hampers efforts to foster community leadership, build social cohesion, address systemic inequalities, and ensure government accountability.

To help address this critical gap, Project for Public Spaces is excited to announce Community Placemaking Grants: Civic Spaces, a new initiative in partnership with CultureHouse and with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to create indoor pop-up spaces that promote civic and social life in both urban and rural BIPOC and/or low-income communities in the Northeastern United States.

The program will offer a total of two nonprofits or public agencies collaborating with nonprofits in the Northeast (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and/or Vermont) $60,000 each in direct funding, along with placemaking technical assistance and capacity building from the Project for Public Spaces and CultureHouse teams. Over the 18-month grant period, this initiative grantee organizations will not only implement a three-month, indoor pop-up community space, but also learn how to initiate and manage these spaces and promote civic engagement for the long term.

Each selected recipient will receive:

• $60,000 to support the temporary physical improvements and operation of an indoor pop-up space
• Research, community engagement, design, and implementation support from the Project for Public Spaces and Culture House teams
• Leadership development opportunities to meet and learn from fellow grantees and participate in Project for Public Spaces trainings and conferences

Eligibility requirements:

• The recipient organization must be a U.S.-based 501c(3) nonprofit or local government agency.
• The site must be located in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, or Vermont.
• The community served by the space and organization must be primarily (50%) BIPOC and/or low-income.
• The grantee organization should reflect the community it serves in its staff, and leadership.
• The grantee must have a space (or partnerships to secure a space) that is indoor, free, and open to the public, and the grantee organization must have the permission to occupy and alter the space.
• The grantee must be committed to hosting local groups and organizations representing a variety of perspectives and causes.

Informational Webinar Recording: Learn more about the selection process and grantee experience.

Applications are due by Friday, February 21, 2025 at 11:59pm EDT. Select applicants will be invited to a second round interview. If the applicant is not the owner of the project site, letters of recommendation from the site’s owner are required. Grant recipients will be announced in mid-April 2025, and grant activities will conclude by September 2026. To view the program’s full scope as well as the application questions, timeline, and evaluation criteria, please review our Application Booklet in advance.
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With the support of like-minded partners, Project for Public Spaces manages grant, technical assistance, and leadership programs that help local partners to transform their public spaces. Learn more about becoming a Social Impact Partner today.

The program offers three nonprofits or public agencies and municipalities in Georgia, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Texas $100,000 each in direct funding to transform key public spaces into lively community hubs that improve street safety and mobility. The grants will also include placemaking technical assistance and capacity building from our team.

Informational Webinar Recording: Learn more about the selection process and grantee experience.

This cycle, we have two initiatives of focus for applicants to choose to apply:

Streets as Places will improve street safety to allow streets to fulfill their role as the most accessible public spaces across the US.

‍Destination Stations will improve user experience and awareness at mobility hubs for public transit, EV charging, and micro-mobility through public space amenities and programming.

The selected applicants will have the opportunity to work with local residents and partners to facilitate a placemaking process in collaboration with Project for Public Spaces that results in physical and programmatic improvements to the space.

Each selected recipient will receive:

• $100,000 in funding for physical and programmatic improvements to a public space
• Design, research, community engagement, and implementation support from the Project for Public Spaces team
• Leadership development opportunities to meet and learn from fellow grantees and participate in Project for Public Spaces trainings and conferences

Eligibility requirements:

• The recipient organization must be a U.S.-based 501c(3) nonprofit or local government agency.
• The project site must be an outdoor space that is free and open to the public.
• The recipient organization must have the authority or permission to make physical improvements to this space.
• The project falls into one of the two initiatives for this cycle: Streets as Places or Destination Stations
• The project site must be a destination for people from across the city, town, or region. (However, the site does not have to be located downtown.)
• The site must be located in Georgia, Michigan, New York, Ohio, or Texas.

Applications are due by Friday, January 31, 2025 at 11:59pm EDT. Select applicants will be invited to a second round. If the applicant is not the owner of the project site, letters of recommendation from the site’s owner are required. Grant recipients will be announced in March 2025, and grant activities will conclude by May 1, 2026. To view the application questions, timeline, and evaluation criteria, please review our Application Instructions in advance.

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Funding Partner:

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‍Subscribe for updates to receive news on this partnership and other future grant opportunities.

Support Future Projects!

With the support of like-minded partners, Project for Public Spaces manages grant, technical assistance, and leadership programs that help local partners to transform their public spaces. Learn more about becoming a Social Impact Partner today.