PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF MIAMI FUNDING IDEAS: Got an idea to make a public area of Miami better? Apply for funding from the Miami Foundation by May 3.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF MIAMI

Top ideas to improve Greater Miami’s parks, greenways, blueways and public spaces will receive $305,000 in funding Miami – A beautification project that is also practical allows Tri-Rail riders at the Hialeah Market Station to wait for the train under shaded cover, seated on geometric benches, while enjoying a train-inspired mural. As one of the winners of the 2016 Public Space Challenge, the transformation was funded with $20,000 from The Miami Foundation and was unveiled in March 2018.

The Miami Foundation began welcoming more winning ideas on April 4, when it launched the 2018 Public Space Challenge. Residents, groups, companies and local organizations are invited to submit their ideas to create, activate and improve local parks and public gathering places. The top ideas will share up to $305,000 in funding to make their ideas a reality.

Participants can visit PublicSpaceChallenge.org to answer two quick questions about their idea and submit it. The Challenge will be open for submissions through May 3, 2018.

“Empowering Miamians to build their community is at the core of the Public Space Challenge,” said Javier Alberto Soto, president and CEO of The Miami Foundation. “The Challenge is a unique and impactful way for residents to take ownership of the beautification and activation of their public spaces. By improving our city for ourselves, we create the kind of engaging and thriving community we want to live in.” In 2017, The Miami Foundation selected 21 Challenge winners, and in partnership with Target, awarded $350,000 in grant funding.

Submitted by Christine Rupp and the Dade Heritage Trust, one of the winning ideas converts the currently closed, historic Flagler Cottage in Ft. Dallas Park into a café and bike rental shop on the Miami River Greenway. Another winning idea from the South Florida National Parks Trust – Citizenship Ceremonies in National Parks – introduces new citizens to nearby green spaces and waterways by hosting the meaningful events in one of South Florida’s national parks.

Launched in 2013, the Public Space Challenge is a platform for residents to create, improve and activate parks and public spaces in their neighborhoods and communities. Last year, individuals, organizations and public agencies throughout Miami-Dade County submitted more than 440 ideas, setting a new record for number of entries. The contest has funded activations and permanent projects across the county, including Homestead, Miami Gardens, the Biscayne Boulevard corridor, Wynwood and West Kendall. A popular opportunity for community engagement, the Public Space Challenge has garnered almost 2,000 submissions since its launch.

To learn more about last year’s winning ideas, visit: PublicSpaceChallengeWinners.