Today, Mayor Cogswell announced that applications are now open for the Love Your Block program. The program provides mini-grants ranging from $100 to $5,000 to residents and community groups to improve their neighborhoods and public spaces. Applications must be submitted by March 13, 2026. Winners will be selected and notified after April 22, 2026.
Through Love Your Block, the City of Charleston, in partnership with the Department of Livability and Tourism, is inviting residents to propose hands-on projects that address local needs. Funded projects may include neighborhood cleanups, small beautification efforts, or other improvements. Mini-grant applications should reflect a strong commitment to community pride, neighborhood beautification, and civic engagement.
“As Charleston continues to invest in resident-driven solutions, Love Your Block plays a vital role in fostering collaboration between local government and community members. By providing mini-grants and hands-on support, the program helps residents transform public spaces, strengthen neighborhood connections, and build pride in their communities. I urge community members and leaders to share their best ideas with us. Thank you to the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University for making this initiative possible,” Mayor Cogswell commented.
With support from the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University, the Love Your Block program brings city leaders and residents together to build stronger neighborhoods, one block at a time. Love Your Block grants fund resident-led neighborhood revitalization projects—from transforming vacant lots into community gardens to repairing playground equipment and removing trash from a public right-of-way—in communities across the United States, strengthening social cohesion among residents, increasing civic participation, and building stronger relationships with community members, leading to greater trust in local government.
Residents interested in learning more about participation in the program and application deadlines for the Love Your Block program in Charleston can visit https://www.charleston-sc.gov/