San Francisco is granting $3.3 million to residents and nonprofits who have ideas to make their neighborhoods more beautiful under the Community Challenge Grant. Out of 100 applications, 25 projects were selected.
San Francisco is granting $3.3 million to residents and nonprofits who have ideas to make their neighborhoods more beautiful. "In the future, we are going to have 45 or more raised garden beds. We're going to have fruit trees, we're going to have an herb garden, a pollinator garden," said Emma Dolan, project lead for the Kimbel Community Garden Project.
The Kimbel Community Garden Project's dream is now closer to reality thanks to a city grant program that started in 1991. "Getting this grant is really a turning point for us, because it's this larger sum of money that is allowing for us to really activate the space," Dolan said. "We don't have any community gardens in this neighborhood. This is a great addition to the community," said Mei Ling Hui, urban agriculture director for San Francisco Recreation & Parks."These are everything from a mural, to lighting, to community gardens, to community spaces, to activation. It's really across the board that we are seeing projects get funded," said Carmen Chu, SF's city administrator. Chu said the selection process was competitive after the city received over 100 applications for the program. Twenty-five programs were selected. Aureliano Rivera is a local art conservator who received one of the grants and is planning to restore five murals at Balmy Alley and paint two new ones. Rivera says his goal is to preserve history in the Mission neighborhood."Make conservation and preservation and restoration a neighborhood community practice," Rivera said."The more we know that people get to know each other in our communities, the more resilience we have in our city," Chu said.Black on Both Sides will activate Bayview-Hunters Point with multidisciplinary art events rooted in the community to foster community power, healing and pride during Black History Month and Juneteenth.Mission Stories: Community Activation will launch a Community Activation Initiative at 24th and York streets, featuring artists-in-residence and a block party celebrating immigrant history, resilience and community in the Mission District.Fish Alley: Corridor of Care will revitalize Wentworth Place with a youth-led windowfront artwork and mural restoration, celebrating Chinatown's heritage and fostering community collaboration among merchants, residents and cultural partners.Look Look at 667 will create a 300-square-foot mural at 667 Grant Avenue, engaging youth through workshops and culminating in a community unveiling during Lunar New Year 2027.Bernal Glen Gateway Murals will create three interconnected murals with artist Sirron Norris to connect Bernal Glen and Glen Park, enhancing community ties and beautifying the Bosworth Street underpass and overpass.Joice Street Lot Safety and Access Upgrade will improve Cameron House's Joice Street lot with new fencing, ADA upgrades, a community bulletin board, and beautification efforts to enhance safety, accessibility and community engagement.Climate Career Corps SF will engage 60 local youth in paid park improvement internships, enhancing San Francisco green spaces and workforce skills in environmental justice communities.Alemany Farm will enhance Alemany Farm as a productive, biodiverse community green space, host 200+ annual events and support citywide gardens with free plants and expert guidance.Kimbell Park Seedling Phase will engage volunteers to clean and revitalize a neglected, fenced area of Kimbell Park, preparing it for future transformation into a vibrant community garden.TL United will unite residents, youth, and volunteers in monthly Tenderloin cleanups, engaging volunteers and youth to foster community pride, safety and reduce neighborhood blight.Mahal Mural Project will transform Jessie West Alley with a 40-foot mural themed on "Mahal," featuring permanent and rotating artworks to celebrate Filipino culture and foster community belonging.Lovers Lane Fest will transform 24th Street and Balmy Alley into a free, family-friendly arts event celebrating Chicano/Latino identity through murals, performances and community mentorship.Bayview Mariner's Court Renewal will rehabilitate Mariner's Village Basketball Court, repairing surfaces, replacing equipment and adding landscaping to provide Bayview residents with safe, equitable recreational and community space.Wiese Alley Youth Mural Project will create two street murals in Wiese Alley, empowering youth and enhancing community safety, as part of Mission Housing's San Francisco Revival initiative, with a five-year maintenance plan.Balmy Alley Revive & Thrive will restore Balmy Alley's murals, commission new art, improve infrastructure and engage community volunteers to strengthen cultural connections and support local artists.Hummingbird Farm Community Hub will empower youth, engage local students and foster community resilience by stewarding Hummingbird Farm as a hub for healing, leadership and environmental sustainability.Fantasy World Mural Restoration will restore and recreate the 1975 "Fantasy World for Children" mural in the 24th and York Mini Park, preserving its legacy for future generations using historical references and photos.District 1 Lunar New Year Fest will organize two annual, large-scale Lunar New Year celebrations in San Francisco's Outer Balboa, fostering cultural identity, community engagement, youth participation and neighborhood beautification through year-round activities.SOMA Mural Corridor Revival will transform Folsom Street with murals celebrating SOMA's diversity, heritage and resilience, beautifying the area and restoring pride to a historically challenged neighborhood.Golden Gate Greenway Mural will create a community-driven mural in the Tenderloin, celebrating local heritage, uplifting marginalized voices and fostering social and environmental justice through public art and neighborhood cohesion.Sunset Night Market Revival" will revitalize San Francisco's Sunset District through quarterly cultural festivals and empowerment programs, fostering community pride, economic opportunity, and inclusion for residents including monolingual Chinese."Roots of Success" will train transitional-aged youth and residents in recovery, including Native Americans, in environmental literacy, certify them as Environmental Specialists, and empower them to lead clean-ups in the American Indian Cultural District.Bayview Youth Clean & Connect will engage local volunteers and youth interns in regular litter cleanups and block parties, fostering community, mentorship and leadership skills in Bayview/Hunters Point.Bayview Culture & Unity Series will celebrate Bayview's African American culture through community events, beautify public spaces and foster resilience, safety and belonging among residents.Queeriosity: Park Pride 2026 will celebrate queer and trans youth of color with performances, wellness workshops, resource-sharing and a community clean-up to foster resilience, safety and belonging in public spaces.LIVE: Track rain across SF Bay Area with Live Doppler 7
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