Cincinnati Safe and Clean grants awarded this funding cycle will support community-led projects that improve neighborhood safety, reduce blight, and engage young people across the city.

The latest grants distributed approximately $215,000 to 10 organizations, with funding focused on neighborhoods most affected by gun violence and community revitalization efforts.

The City of Cincinnati has awarded approximately $215,000 through the latest round of its Safe and Clean Neighborhood Fund, providing financial support to local organizations working to improve neighborhood safety, beautification, youth engagement, and quality of life.

The grants are administered by Keep Cincinnati Beautiful on behalf of the city. Funding priorities include projects in Cincinnati’s 10 neighborhoods experiencing the highest levels of gun violence, along with initiatives that create opportunities for young residents to participate in community improvement projects. According to WVXU, this marks the second grant cycle funded through the city’s fiscal year 2026 budget. The program aims to help neighborhoods address safety concerns through environmental improvements and community partnerships rather than enforcement alone.

Community leaders say the projects will remove blight, improve public spaces, and encourage residents to take greater ownership of their neighborhoods.

Cincinnati Safe and Clean grants focus on prevention

City officials designed the Safe and Clean Neighborhood Fund to support neighborhood-driven solutions that strengthen communities through beautification, environmental design, and youth engagement.

The funding supports projects that can:

• Reduce litter and illegal dumping.
• Improve parks and public gathering spaces.
• Remove blighted conditions.
• Create paid opportunities for young people.
• Encourage neighborhood participation.
• Improve safety through environmental design.

The initiative reflects the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), which emphasizes that cleaner, well-maintained public spaces can discourage crime while strengthening community pride. According to the City of Cincinnati and Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, neighborhood organizations propose projects that directly address local concerns rather than relying on city-designed programs.

The city’s fiscal year 2026 budget allocated approximately $549,060 for three rounds of Safe and Clean grants. Officials expect another funding cycle later this year.

Organizations receiving Cincinnati Safe and Clean grants

Ten organizations received funding during the latest grant round.

According to WVXU, recipients include:

• ARTE (Art, Reconciliation, Truth, and Empowerment) — $25,000
  • Youth will expand a mural in Avondale, maintain school grounds, and participate in neighborhood cleanups.
• BLOC Ministries — $15,240
  • Youth beautification and mentoring efforts in East and West Price Hill.
• CE3 — $25,000
  • Youth wealth-building and neighborhood improvement programs serving Winton Hills, Avondale, and North Fairmount.
• Cincinnati Learning Institute — $30,000
  • Paid beautification projects involving students from Oyler School in Lower Price Hill.
• Cincy Nice — $18,050
  • Community beautification and youth engagement activities.
• Never the Less — $23,000
  • Girls Leading Safe & Clean Neighborhoods initiative.
• North Fairmount Community Council — $13,450
  • Youth-led litter prevention efforts.
• Save Our Youth Kings and Queens — $30,000
  • Trash removal, landscaping, and neighborhood gardening projects.
• ToolBank Cincinnati — $15,000
  • Development of a neighborhood mini-toolbank to support volunteer projects.
• YMCA of Greater Cincinnati and Gamble Montessori — $20,000
  • Outdoor learning and green space improvements.

Many of the funded projects combine beautification with workforce development by paying young residents to improve their neighborhoods while developing leadership and job skills.

Youth engagement remains central to Cincinnati Safe and Clean grants

Many of this year’s projects place young people at the center of neighborhood improvement efforts.

Instead of focusing only on cleanup work, several organizations will provide paid employment, mentoring, leadership training, and educational opportunities. Programs include mural painting, landscaping, gardening, litter prevention, and maintaining community spaces.

Officials have increasingly emphasized youth engagement as part of broader violence prevention strategies. Community organizations often serve neighborhoods that experience higher levels of poverty, disinvestment, and gun violence, making local partnerships an important component of long-term neighborhood revitalization.

According to Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, projects selected for funding demonstrate measurable community impact while encouraging residents to participate in maintaining cleaner and safer neighborhoods.

Additional funding planned this year

The latest awards represent the second of three grant rounds funded during fiscal year 2026.

According to WVXU, another application cycle is expected in September. The city’s fiscal year 2027 budget also continues support for the Safe and Clean Neighborhood Fund with nearly $500,000 allocated for future grants.

The ongoing investment signals continued city support for community-led safety initiatives that combine beautification, environmental improvements, and youth engagement. Rather than relying on one approach, officials continue investing in neighborhood organizations that already have strong relationships with residents and understand local needs.

The latest grants also demonstrate the city’s effort to address quality-of-life issues alongside broader public safety strategies. Neighborhood organizations will begin implementing projects over the coming months, with many expected to involve volunteers, students, and local residents.