Evanston Awards $45,000 In Love Your Block Grants For 21 Neighborhood Projects

EVANSTON, IL — Evanston has announced the recipients of its second round of Love Your Block mini-grants, with 21 resident-led projects selected for funding across the 2nd, 5th, 8th and 9th wards.

Members of the Love Your Block Steering Group chose the projects from 60 applications submitted by residents and community groups. Individual awards range from $500 to $2,500, with a total of $45,000 awarded.

According to the city, the funded projects are meant to address local challenges and improve neighborhoods and public spaces. The city said the projects focus on community pride, neighborhood beautification and civic engagement, with an emphasis on sustainability and on improving safety, accessibility and stability for older adults and low-income households in the four wards.

In the 2nd Ward, projects include:

• $2,200 for Restoring Pride on McDaniel Ave: Porch Safety, Curb Appeal, and a Little Free Library for Our Block
• $800 for Community Pollinator Garden
• $2,500 for Safe Steps and Seasonal Pride
• $1,800 for Evanston's Spectacular Urban Forest
• $1,905 for Front Porch Repair
• $2,500 for Exterior Upgrades

In the 5th Ward, the selected projects include:

• $2,500 for Empty Lot Beautification
• $2,500 for Alley-Side Restoration & Senior Support Project
• $2,000 for Twiggs Park Neighborhood Litter Clean Up
• $2,500 for Siding Repair
• $1,500 for Deloris Holmes Memorial Bench
• $2,335 for Falling Siding Repair
• $2,335 for Flower Bed Retaining Wall
• $2,500 for Evanston Community Fridges - CNE Fridger and Baby/Toddler Pantry

The 8th Ward winners are:

• $2,500 for Brummel Park Social Gathering Space
• $1,400 for Little Free Library/Resource Exchange at Brummel Park
• $2,500 for Public Green Space Crosswalk Beautification

In the 9th Ward, funded projects are:

• $2,500 for Reba Park Native Plant Garden
• $2,500 for Slow Down on Elmwood
• $2,500 for Native Plants on Reba Place!
• $1,225 for The Magic Garden

“These projects reflect what makes Evanston special: neighbors who care deeply about one another and take action to make their communities stronger. I’m grateful to the mini-grant recipients and to every resident who brought forward ideas rooted in pride, creativity, and a shared sense of responsibility for our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Daniel Biss. “We also thank the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University for their partnership in helping turn these community-driven ideas into reality.”

The Love Your Block program is supported by the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University and is designed to bring city leaders and residents together on neighborhood revitalization. The city said the program funds resident-led work such as community gardens, playground repairs and trash removal, while aiming to strengthen social cohesion, civic participation and trust in local government.

Residents who want to learn more about Evanston's Love Your Block program or volunteer to support local projects can visit cityofevanston.org/loveyourblock.