Kitchener’s LoveMyHood grant program celebrates $1.6 million funding milestone
Kitchener, ON– Earlier this evening, the City of Kitchener’s LoveMyHood team gathered at Timm Park with residents, community leaders and project partners to celebrate neighbourhood leadership, creativity, and collaboration. The City’s LoveMyHood program was built on a simple idea: that neighbours know their communities best. And when residents are supported with resources, encouragement, and partnership, wonderful things can happen.
Tonight, seven new LoveMyHood grant-supported projects from the spring intake were announced. Proposed projects, totalling $90,000, include neighbourhood placemaking, community events, arts and creative initiatives, greening and outdoor improvements across Kitchener. The LoveMyHood Matching Grant supports resident‑led projects that bring neighbours together, strengthen community connections, and make our neighbourhoods more welcoming places to live.
“This most recent intake brings the LoveMyHood program’s accumulated investment since 2017 to over $1.6 million in support of resident‑led events, programs, and capital projects across the city,” announced Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. “These projects have brought meaningful improvements to our neighbourhoods – from revitalized parks to vibrant community events and so much more. They also demonstrate what can be accomplished through collaboration between the City of Kitchener and the commitment and passion of our community - one neighbourhood project at a time.”
The City of Kitchener’s LoveMyHood program was born in 2017 from one of the City’s largest community engagement efforts. Thousands of residents shared their vision for stronger, more connected neighbourhoods. LoveMyHood reflects the city’s commitment to empowering residents to shape their own neighbourhoods.
To date, this funding has supported over 260 resident-led events, programs and neighbourhood projects across Kitchener.
The LoveMyHood grant program accepts applications from residents and community groups through three intake sessions per year, with a selection committee awarding up to $200,000 in funding per year to support eligible grant proposals. The next grant intake is Thursday, June 11, 2026.
To learn more about the Love My Hood Matching Grant, please visit lovemyhood.ca.
Land acknowledgement
The City of Kitchener is situated on the traditional territory of the Chonnonton, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee Peoples. We recognize our responsibility to act as stewards for the land and honour the original caretakers who came before us. Our community is enriched by the enduring knowledge and deep-rooted traditions of the diverse First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples who live in Kitchener today.