Grow wealth, Foster Health
Improving People's Lives
The Neighborhood Justice Fund provides funding for projects in Lucas County neighborhoods where a majority of residents are people of color to address long-standing wealth disparities and quality of life inequities.
How it works
The Neighborhood Justice Fund provides funding for projects in Lucas County neighborhoods where a majority of residents are people of color (based on the most recent Census data) in order to address long-standing wealth disparities and quality of life inequities. This commitment enables the Land Bank to target funding to projects that will grow wealth, foster health, and improve lives in neighborhoods that have gone without investment for far too long. $1.5 million has been committed to this Fund by the Land Bank's Board of Directors through the year 2025.
Project Priorities
The projects selected for the Neighborhood Justice Fund will align with the Land Bank’s five-year strategic plan that focuses on land, buildings, and people. Priority will be given to proposals that invest in the built environment and address one or more of the following:
- Decreasing blight and creating homeownership by repurposing vacant land.
- Developing buildings to improve standards of living and increase property values.
- Promoting equity by investing in people to strengthen neighborhoods.
Eligible Neighborhoods
Funding will be provided to projects in any eligible neighborhood in Lucas County where at least a majority of the residents are people of color, based on the most recent Census data. Please reference our Eligible Neighborhoods map before submitting an application.
Submitting an Application
Residents of eligible neighborhoods and organizations located in or serving residents in an eligible neighborhood may apply for funding through the Neighborhood Justice Fund. The Land Bank will prioritize funding requests that align with the goals of our Building Neighborhoods strategic plan and that are economically feasible.
Awards will be given in the form of grants. A small and reasonable portion of any grant request may be used for administrative costs at the discretion of the Land Bank. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, contingent on available funding. Joint applicants (two or more entities submitting a single proposal) must designate one lead entity responsible for fiscal management and administration.
Funds may be disbursed to recipients on a reimbursable basis throughout the grant period. While there is no outright maximum award through the Neighborhood Justice Fund, approximately $300,000 is allocated to the fund annually through the year 2025. Eligibility under the Neighborhood Justice Fund is conditioned upon applicants meeting all Land Bank qualifying criteria.
Use our Neighborhood Justice Fund application to submit a proposal today, or Contact Us to learn more!