Ventura awards community beautification grants to seven local organizations

VENTURA, Calif. — The City of Ventura has awarded seven local groups and nonprofit organizations with a community beautification grant for projects designed to enhance neighborhoods and public areas.

Project examples include mulching events, median plantings, neighborhood clean-ups, general beautification improvements and blight reduction projects.

"The City is committed to improving Ventura's quality of life, and that’s why we created an opportunity for residents to partner with us in this effort,” said Ventura Mayor Matt LaVere. "We are grateful for the responses from these locally-based organizations to help beautify our neighborhoods. I look forward to seeing these grant-funded projects come to life for everyone to enjoy."

Grant recipients and awarded projects include:

• Midtown Ventura Community Council: Project to include native ground cover and six trees at the corner of Main Street and Emma Avenue.
• CLEAN International: Project to include seven new tree plantings in empty tree wells, located between the five points intersection and Loma Vista Road.
• San Buenaventura Heritage Inc.: Project to include improvements at the Dudley House Museum.
• Midtown Merchants Group & Friends: Project to include 30 planter pots and 6 tree plantings in Midtown Ventura between Santa Rosa and Catalina Streets.
• Montalvo Community Council: Project to include a mural on the east end of Ventura.
• Downtown Ventura Organization: Project to include recycled plastic, self-watering pots, planted with native and Mediterranean species along the 700 block of Main Street.
• Pierpont Bay Community Council: Project to include welcome signage and lighting along the south end of Seaward.

In 2019, Ventura developed a beautification granting pilot program funded by Measure O.

The city said the purpose of the grant program is to help community groups and nonprofit organizations complete projects that meet the city's needs and enhance Ventura's environmental, social and cultural experiences for residents and visitors.

Applications were reviewed by a panel of community members knowledgeable in beautification projects and city staff from Parks and Recreation, Public Works and the Community Development Department.

The city said projects were evaluated and scored based on grant criteria, the number of residents served, and how closely the project aligned with city priorities.

Available grant funding ranged from $1,000 to $10,000 for each project.

To learn more about Ventura's Beautification Grant
Program, visit their website www.cityofventura.ca.gov.