Mayor Cogswell announces the City of Charleston mini-grant award winners for community revitalization in the Upper Peninsula

Last night, Mayor Cogswell and Councilmembers Aaron Polkey and Ben D’Allesandro announced the second round of mini-grant winners for the Love Your Block program, a resident-led initiative focused on small-scale projects that create lasting community impact.

The city received 23 applications from dedicated residents and community groups proposing creative solutions to address local challenges and work together with city government to improve neighborhoods and public spaces.

The Love Your Block program, powered by the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins, brings city leaders and residents together to build stronger neighborhoods, one block at a time. The ten selected projects reflect a strong commitment to community pride, neighborhood beautification, and civic engagement, aligning with Charleston’s priorities around reducing blight and assisting in community revitalization.

Winning projects include:

• The Creek Collective: Creek Community Trail Network: This project is a community-driven resilience initiative of the Carolina Ocean Alliance which includes a trailhead resource hub with amenities like a little free library, neighborhood seed exchange, litter bucket station, and resource materials at three neighborhood creeks.
• Reclaiming Homel Place:  This project is to revitalize and beautify an alley with the addition of plants, lighting, a mural and a convex corner street mirror to increase safety.
• Adopt-a-Neighbor Program:  This project funds the neighborhood initiative of residents assisting other residents with yard maintenance and care when the need arises.

“Love Your Block is all about turning residents’ ideas into real change on their own blocks,” said Mayor Cogswell. “Through our partnership with the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation, we’re able to support neighbors who are stepping up to improve public spaces, connect with one another, and take pride in their communities. I’m proud of this year’s recipients and grateful to everyone helping make Charleston stronger, one block at a time.”

About the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University:

The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University works to advance public sector innovation across the globe by marrying cutting-edge practice with world-class research to transform the culture of government, deliver exceptional results for residents, and inspire trust in public service. Launched in 2021 in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies and Johns Hopkins University, the Center supports programs that equip local governments to unlock the insight, talent, and energy of their residents in cities across the globe. For more information, please visit publicinnovation.jhu.edu or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.