Urban Design Center Announces $230,000 in 2025 Placemaking Grants

Published on April 15, 2025

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (April 15, 2025) – The City of Charlotte has chosen the recipients for this year’s Placemaking Grant Program, awarding a total of $230,000 to support community-led projects. The city remains dedicated to placemaking and collaborating with residents and local artists to cultivate a livelier Queen City.

The Placemaking Grant program started in 2018 and is managed by the City of Charlotte’s Urban Design Center (UDC). The grant program offers financial aid and practical guidance for initiatives that foster community energy, safety and character.

This year, the UDC’s $150,000 grant fund was supplemented by $75,000 through a partnership with the Corridors of Opportunity Program. These additional funds will support placemaking projects within the designated corridors. A continued collaboration with the city’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience provided an extra $5,000 to encourage environmentally friendly efforts within the community.

Fifteen projects, along with one Technical Assistance Grant, will receive funding this year. These projects focus on:

• Activating vacant or underused areas.
• Improving streetscapes.
• Enhancing public spaces through art and beautification.
• Developing community gathering spots.

Winning Projects

Art4Ward: Nations Ford Beautification

• Award: $12,400
• Project Type: Mural
• Applicant: Joi Mayo 
• Organization: Transforming Nations Ford

Cameron Valley Pocket Park

• Award: $25,000
• Project Type: Pop-Up Park
• Applicant: Adam Rhew
• Organization: South Park Community Partners

Cedar Grove Learning Landscape 

• Award: $25,000 + $5,000 (Sustainability) = $30,000
• Project Type: Playscape
• Applicant: Ché Abdullah
• Organization: Save Cedar Grove
• Funded in partnership with the City of Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity Program and the Office of Sustainability and Resilience

Community ArtCade

• Award: $12,500
• Project Type: Pop-Up Art
• Applicant: Michael Zytkow
• Organization: Potions and Pixels

Cross Charlotte Trail Mural

• Award: $9,800
• Project Type: Street Mural
• Applicant: Kristen Ford
• Organization: NoDa Neighborhood Business Association

Events at The Green at Prosperity Village

• Award: $16,000
• Project Type: Programming and Events
• Applicant: Shika Raynor
• Organization: Prosperity Village Area Association

Faires Farm Revitalization Technical Assistance

• Award: $5,000
• Project Type: Technical Assistance
• Applicant: Myra Johnston
• Organization: Lakeview at Faires Farm HOA

Giving Us Our Flowers

• Award: $8,000
• Project Type: Bus Stop Beautification
• Applicant: Olivia Chisholm
• Organization: To Live in Color

Hidden Valley Community Association Senior Gardeners

• Award: $5,000
• Project Type: Community Agriculture
• Applicant: Marjorie Parker
• Organization: Hidden Valley Community Association Charlotte
• Funded in partnership with the City of Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity Program

Joy in the Shadows, Fulton Avenue Streetscape

• Award: $19,700
• Project Type: Street Mural and Sculpture
• Applicant: Megan Annitto
• Organization: Plaza Midwood Neighborhood Association

LNA’s Green Spaces for Wellness Project

• Award: $5,000
• Project Type: Community Agriculture
• Applicant: Jamaal Kinard
• Organization: Lakeview Neighborhood Alliance
• Funded in partnership with the City of Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity Program

Mailbox Mural

• Award: $2,500
• Project Type: Mural
• Applicant: Atisha Patel
• Organization: Medford Acres Neighborhood Association
• Funded in partnership with the City of Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity Program

Pierson and Independence Community Mural

• Award: $25,000
• Project Type: Mural
• Applicant: Sharon Dowell
• Organization: Eastway Park, Sheffield Park, and Amity Gardens 
• Funded in partnership with the City of Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity Program

Pinckney-to-27th Passage

• Award: $15,000
• Project Type: Pedestrian Pathway
• Applicant: Logan Phillips
• Organization: Villa Heights Neighborhood Association

STEM Skool Learning Garden

• Award: $14,100
• Project Type: Community Agriculture
• Applicant: GeAndra Imoudu
• Organization: STEM Skool

Trade and Solomon Traffic Calming Street Mural

• Award: $25,000 
• Project Type: Steet Mural
• Applicant: Matt Weschler
• Organization: Biddleville and Smallwood Community Organization
• Funded in partnership with the City of Charlotte’s Corridors of Opportunity Program