Neighborhood Beautification Program

The Neighborhood Beautification Program (NBP) provides grants to Detroit-based block clubs, neighborhood associations, nonprofit organizations, and faith-based organizations to carry out a project on up to four vacant lots in their community. Funded with $2.25 million from the Neighborhood Improvement Fund and the American Rescue Plan Act, the NBP offers grants of $500 to $15,000 for community gardens, public space improvements, and clean-up activities. 

On August 14, 2023 Mayor Duggan announced that another $2.5 Million has been allocated to the Neighborhood Beautification Program. Here are some pictures of that press conference which was held in Detroit's Fitzgerald Neighborhood. Click here for press release.

This grant is managed in partnership with Wayne Metro. To apply for the NBP grant, please visit the Wayne Metro website.

ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for funding, organizations:

• Must be a City-registered block club or neighborhood association (contact your Department of Neighborhoods district manager for questions regarding registering your block club);
• Non-profit or faith-based organizations can apply in partnership with a neighborhood association or block club (complete the NBP partnership letter template here);
• Block clubs can do their own projects and be a sponsor for a non-profit or faith-based project simultaneously;.
• Must provide proof of ownership of the lots to be improved in the name of the applicant 501c(3) or LLC (parcels in the names of individuals will not be accepted); and
• Only lots zoned as R1, R2, or R3 are eligible for funding (check the zoning of your lots here).

For more information on applicant eligibility, please visit the Wayne Metro Grant Eligibility Checklist.

PROJECTS
Grant funding can be used towards community gardens, public space improvements, and clean-up activities, including but not limited to:

Please note that the following are common requests that are NOT eligible for NBP funding:

LOT LICENSING PROGRAM
If your organization does not own vacant land in your neighborhood, you may license lots from the Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA) to conduct clean-up activities with NBP funding. Parcels must be listed on the DLBA website as Neighborhood Lots to be eligible for funding. Please only apply for lots within one mile of your block club or organization. 

Note that community gardens and public space improvements are not eligible for funding through the Lot Licensing Program. 

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are now closed.

The 2nd round of funding is complete. The additional funding allowed up to increase the # of grant recipients from 45 to 78 Grant Recipients.

Required documents include:

• Completed Online Application;
• Deeds held by a legal entity (LLC or 501(c)3) with the same name as the applicant organization;
• Plot Plan showing the property and items to be added or removed as part of the grant project (for more on how to create a plot plan, click here);
• For non-profit and faith-based organizations, Partnership Letter with Block Club or Neighborhood Association (complete the NBP partnership letter template here);
• For 501(c)3s or applicants using the fiduciary status of another organization:
  • 501(c)3 IRS tax exemption letter in applicant’s name OR identification of a tax-exempt fiduciary organization;
  • Proof of an operating board;
  • Most recent fiscal year financial statements that show the organizational operating budget;
  • 2021- 2022 Michigan Annual Nonprofit Report;
  • Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws (https://cofs.lara.state.mi.us/SearchApi/Search/Search); and
  • Certificate of Good Standing from LARA (https://cofs.lara.state.mi.us/corpweb/HelpPages/OrderSystemInfo.aspx).

RESOURCES + TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
To view a recording of the first NBP Information Session held on January 25th, click here. To download a copy of the presentation, click here.

To view a recording of the second NBP Plot Plan and Permitting Session held on February 1st, click here. To download a copy of the presentation, click here.

To register for the Q+A Session on Wednesday, February 22nd from 9am-10am, click here.

NBP Office Hours are held virtually every Wednesday from 9am-11am and Friday from 11am-1pm. Additionally, other City departments and agencies are available at the Land-Based Projects Office Hours every other Thursday from 12pm-1pm.

For questions, please contact Samuel Coons, Karmel Reeves, or Tamra Hardy. For technical support, please contact Wayne Metro or call (313)388-9788.

MORE INFORMATION
The first round of NBP grants were distributed in the fall of 2022, with 36 organizations receiving a cumulative total of $492,228 for projects in every City Council district. The first 36 recipients are: 

1. Berg-Lahser Community Association (D1)
2. Cross Pollination Corridor Project (D1)
3. Grandmont #1 Improvement Association (D1)
4. Minock Park Block Association (D1)
5. North Rosedale Park Civic Association (D1)
6. North Rosedale Park Block Captains (D1)
7. Schoolcraft Improvement Association (D1)
8. Demographic Inspirations Detroit (D2)
9. PR²OmiSE (D2)
10. 18000 Greeley Street Block Club (D3)
11. Crane Street Garden (D3)
12. East Davison Village Community Group (D3)
13. Marjorie Street Garden (D3)
14. Mohican Regent Homeowners Association (D3)
15. Mt. Olivet Neighborhood Watch (D3)
16. Rescue MI Nature Now (D3)
17. Camp Restore Detroit (D4)
18. Canfield Consortium (D4)
19. Communities First (D4)
20. New Beginnings CDC (D4)
21. Sanctuary Farms Block Club (D4)
22. Arboretum Detroit (D5)
23. Bailey Park NDC (D5)
24. Field Temple (D5)
25. NW Goldberg Cares (D5)
26. Class Act Detroit (D6)
27. United Block Club Council (D6)
28. Woodbridge Neighborhood Development (D6)
29. A Place of Refuge (D7)
30. Calyxeum Catalyst (D7)
31. DeSoto Ellsworth Block Association (D7)
32. Evergreen Block Club (D7)
33. Esper Street Robert Aviation Community (D7)
34. In Memory of Community Garden (D7)
35. Nardin Park Improvement Rock (D7)
36. Renaissance of Hope Inc. (D7)

The second round of NBP grants were distributed in the summer of 2023, with 45 organizations receiving $633,905 for projects:

1. Grandmont Community Association (D1) 
2. Schoolcraft Improvement Association (D1) 
3. SDM2 Project Education (D1) 
4. Urban Apostolic Network - Hesed Community Church (D1) 
5. Bethune Community Council (D2) 
6. Demographic Inspirations- Detroit (D2)  
7. Marygrove Community Association (D2) 
8. Monica Block Club (D2) 
9. New Community Fellowship Church (D2) 
10. Oakman Boulevard Community Association (D2)
11. Prairie Street Block Club (D2) 
12. PR²OMiSE: Peers Responding to Overlooked Matters in Social Environments (D2) 
13. San Juan Block Club (D2) 
14. Santa Rosa Block Club (D2) 
15. Snowden-Hartwell Block Club (D2) 
16. Stoepel Street Block Club (D2) 
17. Tuller Street Block Club (D2) 
18. Carrie Morris Arts Production DBA Detroit Puppet Company (D3)
19. CKM Community Development Corporation (D3) 
20. CRC Block Club Association Community Development LLC (D3)
21. Marjorie Street Garden (D3) 
22. Mohican Regent Homeowners Association (D3) 
23. Mt. Olivet Neighborhood Watch (D3) 
24. Women of Banglatown (D3)
25. Camp Rd. Inc. DBA Camp Restore Detroit (D4) 
26. Everybody Eatz Inc (D4)  
27. Yorkshire Woods Community Organization (D4) 
28. Arboretum Detroit (D5) 
29. Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament (D5)   
30. Detroit Catholic Pastoral Alliance (D5)
31. Dream of Detroit (D5)
32. Field Street Block Club LLC (D5)
33. King Street Block LLC (D5)
34. New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ (D5)
35. Sheridan Community Block Club LLC (D5) 
36. West Village Association CDC (D5) 
37. WJP Urban Farm (D5)  
38. Church of Christ Westside (D6) 
39. Danett Associates Inc (D6) 
40. My Community SPEAKS (D6)  
41. North Corktown Neighborhood Association (D6)
42. Shalom Fellowship International (D6) 
43. DeSoto Ellsworth Block Association (D7) 
44. Evergreen Block Club (D7) 
45. St. Charles Lwanga Parish (D7)