The MPA Neighborhood Beautification Fund catalyzes neighborhood physical and aesthetic improvements through community engagement to strengthen social ties and improve livability. The Fund invests in the capacity and growth of member civic associations by providing support for collaborative, community-driven beautification projects.
Neighborhood beautification leads to more interaction among neighbors from diverse backgrounds, improves quality of life, and helps foster both economic development and a sense of community. For the purpose of this Fund opportunity, MPA defines “beautification” as a process that leads to:
- Community members working together to make their neighborhood look and feel better by employing a strategy to maintain, enhance, and/or change the visual character of their neighborhood over the long term
- Visual signs of care and stewardship, and the process of reshaping a space from blight to beauty that has the potential to strengthen a sense of place