Every year, Knight Foundation awards creative solutions for urban challenges. The ideas come from architects, city planners, and everyday folks. A mix of winners receive funding to get their ideas off the ground. Today, the Foundation announced 32 more winners, amounting to $5 million in grants.
All the winning projects focus on one or more of three drivers of city success, according to Knight:
- Talent: Ideas that help cities attract and keep the best and brightest.
- Opportunity: Ideas that create economic prospects and break down divides.
- Engagement: Ideas that spur connection and civic involvement.
Winning projects are based in 12 of the 26 communities where Knight invests including: Akron, Ohio; Bradenton, Fla.; Charlotte, N.C.; Columbus, Ga.; Detroit; Gary, Ind.; Lexington, Ky.; Macon, Ga.; Miami; Philadelphia; St. Paul, Minn.; and San Jose, Calif. Two projects focus on multiple Knight communities.
Here are 8 of the 32 winners:
1. The Science Barge, $298,633 by CappSci/ Nathalie Manzano-Smith: a floating, urban sustainable farm and environmental education center powered by renewable energy for Miami’s climate issues.
2. Better Block International Hostel on AirBnB, $155,000 by
3. Brand Camp: Detroit’s Neighborhood Initiative, The RE-Effect, $164,810 by Brand Camp University/ Hajj Flemings: Using branding and digital campaigns to change the narrative of underserved neighborhoods
4. ArtHouse: a Social Kitchen, $650,000 by Rebuild Foundation/Lori Berko: A vacant space in downtown Gary, Indiana is converted into a culinary incubator and café meant to help with the revival of downtown while creating jobs and opportunities for residents.
5. Park Advocate Macon, $124,300 by Geoffrey Boyd: An umbrella organization brings together individual park volunteer groups to create a network of advocates, interested in improving and maintaining local parks as meeting points for the community.
6. Urban Arboreta, $65,000 by City Parks Association of Philadelphia/ Timothy Baird: Transform vacant land in Philadelphia into urban forests that produce trees to be replanted on city streets and in parks.
7. Philadelphia Immigrant Innovation Hub, $261,500 by Mt. Airy USA/ Anuj Gupta: Create centers that offer immigrant entrepreneurs low-cost space, language assistance, workshops and trainings, and access to traditional and non-traditional sources of capital.
8. Houslets, $40,000 by Houslets/ Tim McCormick: Prototyping and deploying low-cost, modular housing and workspace units to find a new model for temporary and affordable housing for San Jose’s fast-growing population.
