The City of Columbia, Missouri, in partnership with the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins, offers the Love Your Block Mini-Grant program to support neighborhood revitalization efforts in central and northeast Columbia. This program provides mini-grants of up to $2,500 to fund projects that enhance quality of life and foster community pride. Columbia is part of the 2024-2026 national cohort and is the first city in Missouri to participate in the Love Your Block program.

Applications for the 2025 grant cycle open on February 14, 2025, and are available online through the City’s Volunteering web page or in person at the Housing and Neighborhood Services department, located at 11 N. Seventh Street. The application deadline is March 21, 2025, and grant recipients will be announced on April 7, 2025. Funded projects must be completed by August 31, 2025.

The program welcomes proposals from neighborhood groups, organizations, schools, and nonprofits for small-scale community improvement projects. Examples of eligible projects include community gardens, tree planting, public art, minor home repairs, and neighborhood pride initiatives. Projects should specifically benefit neighborhoods in central and northeast Columbia, with priority given to areas located in qualified census tracts.

The City offers several opportunities for community members to receive application assistance, including in-person sessions at the Columbia Public Library and the Activity and Recreation Center (ARC), as well as a Community Summit on March 15, 2025, at City Hall. These sessions allow applicants to meet with City staff to ask questions and receive guidance on their proposals.

For more information, applicants can visit the City of Columbia’s Volunteering web page or contact the Housing and Neighborhood Services department by phone at 573-874-2489. The Love Your Block program is part of the City’s broader vision to enhance quality of life for all residents through democratic, transparent, and efficient government processes.