The Refresh Fund
Applications for the the Refresh Fund in 2022 ended. Applications for 2023 will be open beginning May 1st, and extend until August 1st.
Throughout the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, there are over a hundred community-driven green space projects. Every year, each of these existing projects require the continued investment of resources in order to be sustained or grow. The most significant investment is that of labor and love from residents like you who receive little or no compensation for their efforts, however other costs include: accessing the right tools for the job, technical support with project planning and policy navigation, and small costs for upkeep and materials. These material costs are represented by specific investments in things like a fresh coat of paint, pickets to fix a hole in a fence, or mulch to support healthy plants and suppress weeds. As time passes, these costs can add up, and make it difficult to keep your space healthy, safe, and beautiful.
The goal of the sustainability fund is to support an environment for resident greenspace leaders and stewards to thrive year-after-year through the distribution of small in-kind grants for materials related specifically to site sustainment and slow-growth – and offer connections to other capacity-building resources that can ultimately lead to their self-sufficiency and long-term resilience.