SF gives $3.3 million to residents, nonprofits with projects to beautify the city: Here’s a list

San Francisco is investing $3.3 million in neighborhood pride and ecological resilience through the long-running Community Challenge Grant, a program launched in 1991 to spark grassroots improvements. After a highly competitive cycle with more than 100 proposals, 25 projects were chosen to receive funding for community gardens, murals, safer shared spaces and youth green jobs.

Among the grantees, the Kimbell Community Garden Project plans to turn a long-neglected corner of Kimbell Park into a flourishing hub with more than 45 raised beds, fruit trees, and herb and pollinator plantings—filling a gap in local access to community gardening and fresh produce. City officials described the selection process as rigorous and emphasized how these projects aim to strengthen social ties while improving the urban environment.

Public art and greening figure prominently this cycle. Conservators and neighborhood collaborators will restore beloved murals in places like Balmy Alley while creating new works that reflect community histories. Simultaneously, youth-focused programs will equip the next generation with environmental skills and paid experience caring for parks and streetscapes in environmental justice communities.

What got funded

• Black on Both Sides — Multidisciplinary arts programming in Bayview–Hunters Point during Black History Month and Juneteenth to build healing, pride and community power.
• Mission Stories: Community Activation — A block party and artist residencies at 24th and York celebrating immigrant resilience and Mission District heritage.
• Fish Alley: Corridor of Care — Youth-led storefront art and mural restoration on Wentworth Place, elevating Chinatown history and collaboration among residents and merchants.
• Look Look at 667 — A 300-square-foot new mural at 667 Grant Avenue, developed through youth workshops and unveiled with the Lunar New Year festivities in 2027.
• Bernal Glen Gateway Murals — Three linked murals by Sirron Norris to knit together Bernal Glen and Glen Park, beautifying the Bosworth Street underpass and overpass.
• Joice Street Lot Safety and Access Upgrade — Fencing, accessibility improvements, a community bulletin board and greening at Cameron House’s Joice Street lot to improve safety and engagement.
• Climate Career Corps SF — Paid internships for 60 local youth to restore parks and green spaces while building workforce skills in environmental justice neighborhoods.
• Alemany Farm — Expanded programming, biodiversity improvements, more than 200 annual events and free plants and expertise to support gardens citywide.
• Kimbell Park Seedling Phase — Volunteer-driven cleanup and soil preparation to ready a fenced area of Kimbell Park for a future community garden.
• TL United — Monthly Tenderloin cleanups uniting residents, youth and volunteers to reduce blight and boost neighborhood pride and safety.
• Mahal Mural Project — A 40-foot “Mahal” (love) themed mural and rotating artworks transforming Jessie West Alley and celebrating Filipino culture.
• Lovers Lane Fest — A free, family-friendly arts celebration along 24th Street and Balmy Alley highlighting Chicano/Latino identity through murals, performance and mentorship.
• Bayview Mariner’s Court Renewal — Rehabilitation of the Mariner’s Village basketball court with surface repairs, new equipment and landscaping for equitable, safe play.
• Wiese Alley Youth Mural Project — Two street murals led by youth as part of Mission Housing’s San Francisco Revival, including a five-year maintenance plan.
• Balmy Alley Revive & Thrive — Conservation of existing murals, commissioning of new works and infrastructure upgrades to support artists and community volunteers.
• Hummingbird Farm Community Hub — Youth leadership, school partnerships and stewardship activities to nurture a healing, sustainable farm-based gathering place.
• Fantasy World Mural Restoration — Recreation and restoration of the 1975 “Fantasy World for Children” mural at the 24th and York Mini Park using archival references.
• District 1 Lunar New Year Fest — Two large annual celebrations in Outer Balboa that anchor year-round neighborhood beautification and youth engagement.
• SOMA Mural Corridor Revival — A series of murals on Folsom Street honoring South of Market’s diversity, heritage and resilience.
• Golden Gate Greenway Mural — A community-created mural in the Tenderloin that uplifts local voices and advances social and environmental justice themes.
• Sunset Night Market Revival — Quarterly cultural festivals and empowerment programming in the Sunset District to foster inclusion and economic opportunity.
• Roots of Success — Environmental literacy training and certification for transitional-age youth and residents in recovery, with cleanups in the American Indian Cultural District.
• Bayview Youth Clean & Connect — Regular litter cleanups and community block parties that build mentorship and leadership among local youth.
• Bayview Culture & Unity Series — Events that celebrate African American culture, enhance public spaces and strengthen belonging and safety in Bayview.
• Queeriosity: Park Pride 2026 — Performances, wellness workshops, resource-sharing and a community cleanup centering queer and trans youth of color in public space.

Green roots, local voices

Beyond fresh paint and new plantings, these projects point to a broader strategy: cultivating neighborhood ecosystems—social and ecological—that make the city more livable. Community gardens boost pollinators and urban biodiversity, murals reclaim shared spaces with local stories, and youth crews gain practical experience improving parks and streets. City leaders underscored that when neighbors meet through hands-on projects, trust and resilience grow.

For the Kimbell effort and others like it, the grant is a catalyst: it helps unlock volunteer energy, in-kind support and partnerships that keep spaces vibrant long after the ribbon-cutting. Whether restoring a landmark mural, training the next generation of environmental stewards, or turning a vacant lot into habitat and harvest, the 25 grantees will leave lasting roots across San Francisco.