Views:

Love Your Block

Love Your Block is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies with a focus on reducing blight and building community. The three main parts of Love Your Block are, Tend the Bend Clean-Up Trailer, Neighborhood Mini-Grants, and Home Repair Assistance. All three are facilitated by Service Coordinators appointed by Neighborhood Associations.


Service Coordinator Role

Neighborhood Associations participating in the 2020 Love Your Block program will be appointing residents from their membership as a Service Coordinator. The Service Coordinator will register and coordinate neighborhood clean-ups with Code Enforcement, submit the application for the $150 clean-up/block party donation with use of the Tend the Bend Trailer, and help their Neighborhood Association apply for Mini-Grants. Service Coordinators also find applicants for home repair and help coordinate with contractors for repairs with residents.

Trainings are held mid-winter and mid-spring to prepare for home repairs applications and mini-grant apps and neighborhood cleanups. Neighborhood Associations are asked to select a Service Coordinator during their Dec-Feb normally scheduled association meeting elections. 


Mini-Grants and Home Repairs

Mini-Grants

Neighborhood Mini-Grants in the amount up to $1,000 focusing on youth engagement, neighborhood safety and blight elimination. Service Coordinators apply for their Neighborhood Associations applications which open March 2, 2020. Eligibility is limited to neighborhood associations who have at least registered their organization with the state of Indiana as a non-profit neighborhood association. Plans must include a sustainability plan, organization partnership, budget, partner organization and engagement activities with association members.  Timeline below:

  • Mini-Grant application available to public: 3/1/20
  • Mini-Grant application workshop: 4/2/20
  • Applications for Mini-Grants due: 4/30/20
  • Grantee notified by: 5/15/20
  • Completion of Projects: 12/30/20

Home Repairs: 

There are six neighborhoods that Love Your Block will be working with in 2020 for small home repair; River Park, Far North West Neighborhood, Kennedy Park, Bendix Park, Lasalle Park, and Monroe Park. Service Coordinators will help find the applicants for 2020 and then connect the residents with a small home repair contractor for estimates and repair. The total budget per home is $1,100: $500 materials and $600 labor.  Participating associations are expected to provide home repair assistance for a total of 12 homes in 2020.  Timeline below:

  • Home Repair Applications (online and paper draft available): 3/1/20
  • Service Coordinators complete estimates with contractors: 3/1 - 4/30/20
  • Home repair applications reviewed & grantees notified: 5/15/20
  • Materials purchased & home repair start: 5/16-5/30/20
  • Home repairs finished: 5/16-10/30/20


Clean-ups

Clean-ups are led by the neighborhood Service Coordinators, the Love Your Block Team, and Code Enforcement to increase the capacity of Neighborhood Associations who want to clean-up their community.

The Tend the Bend Trailer and Clean-up Mini-Grant programs support neighborhood clean-ups with landscaping tools and clean-up supplies to add value while removing environmental debris. Love Your Block can support 10 Neighborhood Associations with a $150 donation for clean-ups. This can be spent on volunteer supplies and a block party community convening event. Neighborhoods must contact Code Enforcement before the “Tend the Bend” Trailer or $150 Clean-Up Mini Grant. Neighborhood Associations can pick up all 3 applications from the Love Your Block Team located at the Charles Martin Center or by email Ethreesb@gmail.com.

Timeline:

  • Trailer & Toolkit start date: 3/2/20
  • Service Coordination session: 3/22/20
  • Spring clean-up events: 3/23-6/15/20
  • Roll-out of toolkit & trailer to public: 6/15/20
  • Meeting with Neighborhood Associations & internal team for purchasing new tools: 6/20/20

 


311 Process Notes

Further Information Contact: