Program Aims to Help Neighborhood-Based Organizations

Whether it’s upgrading playground equipment or installing park benches and grills, residents generate plenty of ideas on how to improve their neighborhoods. A City of Little Rock program aimed at promoting volunteerism by assisting neighborhood-based organizations will award $28,000 in grants this year to help with those improvement projects.

Any neighborhood-based organization registered with the City is eligible to apply for a Love Your Block grant. Four neighborhood-based organizations from each of the City’s seven wards will be selected to participate, for a total of 28 groups. The objective of the Love Your Block Grant Program is to encourage projects with a lasting benefit to the neighborhood that promote volunteerism and foster civic pride. Each group receives up to $1,000 of eligible expenses upon completion of the project. 

“Residents really are the best caretakers of their neighborhoods because they already have so much invested in where they live,” Housing and Neighborhood Programs Director Victor Turner said. “This grant program is meant to bring neighbors together and foster a sense of community while creating a point of pride.”

Staff from the City’s Housing and Neighborhood Programs Department will work with the selected groups to provide technical assistance and guidance. Housing will work with other City departments such as Parks & Recreation and Public Works to offer such services as mulch, debris removal and tool loans.

Organizations that wish to apply should submit a proposal for an organized event or activity that is held between the months of April and November. If chosen, an organization sends monthly status reports as well as before and after photos of the project. Grantees will also attend orientation to learn about the grant guidelines, including keeping accurate financial records and volunteer hours.

The project should create an impactful improvement in a neighborhood. Previous projects include a footbridge across a park pond, equipment for community outreach and crime watch programs, youth tutoring programs and the construction of neighborhood basketball courts.

The following projects will be prioritized: blocks within a 500 foot radius of an elementary, middle or high school; projects that address one or more vacant lots; projects that improve the overall neighborhood aesthetics; projects that eliminate blight; and projects that benefit a business district. 


The deadline for submitting an application is March 17, 2017. To fill out an application, visit bit.ly/LRloveyourblock. For more information, contact Victor Turner at vturner@littlerock.gov.