Neighborhoods

We made a grant to the Eastside Community Coalition toward the Hope and History Mural Project, commemorating Ax Handle Saturday, which occurred in 1960.

The Community Foundation began its Supporting Neighborhoods work with a goal of working alongside existing grassroots organizations to support progress on their vision for the future.

In our learning and grantmaking, we have focused on:

• Listening
• Supporting community engagement
• Building organizational capacity

From its earliest days, TCF has funded ways for neighborhood leaders to build on their successes and priorities. Grants have responded to needs in education, aging, economic well-being, and health. 

Additionally, some of its most significant support has been directed at establishing LISC in Jacksonville (Local Initiatives Support Corporation). Since 1999, TCF has funded LISC’s operations and priority projects which focus on revitalizing nine under-served neighborhoods by leveraging public dollars with private investment. To date, LISC Jacksonville has:

• invested more than $72 million in Jacksonville's urban core
• leveraged more than $228 million from outside sources.
• helped with the financing of 295 homes
• invested in more than 1,400 affordable housing units, and
• created more than 3,000 jobs.  

Most recently, TCF’s investments in neighborhoods has included LISC’s work, as well as grants to Revitalize Arlington, Northwest Jax Corporation Development Corporation, Historic Eastside Community Development Corporation, and the NewTown Success Zone. Grants have supported

• placemaking,
• training,
• community engagement and outreach, and
• organizational capacity building.

“This grant enabled us to make a high impact statement in the community that has replaced blight with beauty and will be seen by hundreds of people each day. The fact that it is located at a bus stop is an extra bonus. Thank you for facilitating this wonderful addition to our community.” - Dr. Joy Hervey, CEO, Revitalize Arlington; Co-Chair, Arlington 20/20 - on the placemaking grant to improve The Impact Dream Center.