Recent News:
- Meet the newest Partners for Places Grantees: Read our Round 21 matching grant announcement!
- Annual Report: Read the 2023 Partners for Places Annual Report.
Community gardens that produce fruits, herbs and vegetables for low-income communities. Vibrant and sustainable public spaces brought to life by transforming abandoned roadways, under-used waterfronts — and even an old golf course. Affordable housing that is better equipped to weather extreme storms and climate-related disasters, and homeowners equipped with the skills to ensure their homes are energy efficient and free of highly toxic lead.
These are just a few of the projects that have received funding through Partners for Places, a matching grant program that improves U.S. and Canadian communities by building partnerships between local government leaders, frontline communities, and place-based funders. National funders invest in local projects developed through these partnerships to advance efforts to create communities that are sustainable, prosperous and just.
These sustainability efforts take place from coast to coast, in communities both large and small, and focus largely on empowering and engaging low-income neighborhoods.
Collaboration and partnership are at the heart of the Partners for Places program. Since 2012, the matching grant program has helped foster dozens of new partnerships between local government sustainability leaders and place-based funders across the U.S. and Canada — relationships that often continue long after the original Partners for Places project has been completed.
About Partners for Places
Partners for Places aims to enhance local capacity to build equitable and sustainable communities in the United States and Canada.
These matching awards support the planning and implementing of urban sustainability and green stormwater infrastructure projects.
To date, Partners for Places has awarded nearly $12 million across North America in this successful matching grant program, leading to more than $23 million in investments.
TFN and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) launched the Local Sustainability Matching Fund in 2012. Now called Partners for Places, the program is managed by TFN and supported by The JPB Foundation, The Kendeda Fund, The Kresge Foundation, and the Pisces Foundation.
These matching awards provide partnership investments between $45,000 and $150,000 for one-year projects, or between $75,000 and $180,000 for two-year projects, with one or more local foundations required to provide at least a 50% matching grant.
Racial Equity and Frontline Communities
Through Round 16, the primary partners were local governments and local foundations. The Partners for Places 2018-2023 strategy leads with racial equity and a sharper focus on how best to advance equitable and sustainable communities. Starting in Round 17, the primary partners also include local frontline community groups. This collaborative governance model is intended to more deeply embed the values and practice of racial equity into local community decision-making processes.
What is a frontline community? Partners for Places defines frontline communities as those most impacted by systems of oppression and injustice, economic disadvantage, and environmental harm.
Federal Funding Assistance
In July 2023, Partners for Places issued a targeted invitation to apply to 23 grantee partnerships that had been funded through grant rounds 17-19 over the past three years, later extended to current grantees as well. The Invitation aims to support prior grantees to connect and align around an application for federal infrastructure funding that advances equitable climate action and/or green stormwater infrastructure projects. The P4P support (of up to $30,000) will help strengthen the relationships between applying collaborative partners and provide direct assistance as they coalesce around and develop a federal funding proposal together. The nine grants awarded to date totaling $267,700 in awards are listed here. These grants are intended to provide rapid assistance and do not require a local match.
Grant Opportunities
The next round of Partners for Places grant applications will open in winter 2025.
For questions about upcoming grant opportunities, contact Ashley Quintana at ashley@fundersnetwork.org.
Grants Map
Partners for Places has helped fund sustainability projects and foster connections in dozens of communities across the U.S. and Canada. Click on each tagged location to learn about projects in that city or region. (Completed projects will include a link to that project’s profile on the Partners for Places Idea Bank, including lessons learned and additional resources.)
Pennsylvania
Lancaster | $30,000 | Round 11Philadelphia | $25,000 | Round 5
Philadelphia | $25,000 | Round 11
Philadelphia | $75,000 | Round 15
Lancaster | $75,000 | Round 17
Pittsburgh | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 3
Erie | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 4
Michigan
Benton Harbor | $74,740 | Round 20Ann Arbor | $99,252 | Round 16
Detroit | $25,000 | Round 9
Grand Rapids | $51250 | Round 11
Detroit | $100,000 | Round 15
Ann Arbor | $55,000 | Round 3
Holland | $65,000 | Round 4
Grand Rapids | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 2
Westland | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 3
Westland | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 4
Ann Arbor | $15,200 | P4P Mini Grants Round 5
Benton Harbor | $15,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 5
Wisconsin
Milwaukee | $75,000 | Round 8Milwaukee | $75,000 | Round 5
Milwaukee | $45,000 | Round 2
Milwaukee | $75,000 | Round 14
Madison | $25,000 | Round 6
Appleton | $60,000 | Round 1
Racine | $8,557 | P4P Mini Grants Round 1
Georgia
Atlanta | $35,000 | Round 15Gwinette County | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 4
Texas
Harris County| $150,000 | Round 20Waco| $150,000 | Round 20
Austin | $100,000 | Round 7
Waco | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 4
Harris County | $20,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 5
Maryland
Baltimore | $50,000 | P4P Round 3Baltimore | $75,000 | P4P Round 7
Baltimore | $35,000 | Equity Initiative Round 1
Baltimore County | $35,000 | P4P Round 19
Oregon
Bend | $25,000 | P4P Round 2Bend | $50,000 | P4P Round 11
Bend | $50,000 | P4P Round 13
Portland | $150,000 | P4P Round 13
Portland | $50,000 | P4P Round 9
Multnomah County | $75,000 | P4P Round 17
California
Marin County | $180,000 | P4P Round 20San Diego | $120,000 | P4P Round 20
Chula Vista | $67,500 | P4P Round 6
Berkley | $30,000 | Equity Initiative Round 2
Berkley | $35,000 | P4P Round 2
San Diego | $73,790 | P4P Round 14
Oakland | $40,000 | P4P Round 3
Berkley | $50,000 | P4P Round 3
Los Angeles | $35,000 | P4P Round 11
Los Angeles | $75,000 | P4P Round 8
San Francisco | $150,000 | P4P Round 5
San Diego | $56,250 | P4P Round 4
Los Angeles County | $87,500 | P4P Round 12
Santa Cruz | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 4
New York
Ithica | $51,970 | P4P Round 8Syracuse | $25,000 | P4P Round 2
Binghampton | $50,000 | P4P Round 2
Buffalo | $85,000 | P4P Round 4
Yonkers & New Rochelle | $25,000 | P4P Round 2
Rochester | $76,425 | P4P Round 18
Virginia
Charlottesville | $180,000 | Round 20Blacksburg | $83,750 | P4P Round 6
Charlottesville | $150,000 | P4P Round 17
Richmond | $25,000 | P4P Round 18
Richmond | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 2
Charlottesville | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 4
Richmond | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 4
Indiana
Indianapolis | $45,000 | P4P Round 4Bloomington | $34,936 | P4P Round 7
Indianapolis | $50,000 | P4P Round 7
Indianapolis | $146,711 | P4P Round 12
Gary | $25,000 | P4P Round 17
Massachusetts
Chelsea | $150,000 | P4P Round 20Northampton | $25,000 | P4P Round 7
Boston | $65,000 | P4P Round 4
New Bedford | $25,000 | P4P Round 13
- Resilient Homes Initiative
New Bedford | $39,000 | P4P Round 6
Essex County | $8,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 3
Connecticut
Stamford | $75,000 | P4P Round 6Bridgeport | $72,500 | P4P Round 15
- Green Infrastructure as a Catalyst for Community Transformation
Hartford | $125,000 | P4P Round 9
New Haven | $40,000 | P4P Round 15
Bridgeport | $50,000 | P4P Round 3
Bridgeport | $45,138 | P4P Round 8
Bridgeport | $20,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 5
Florida
Miami | $25,000 | P4P Round 12Sarasota County | $61,500 | P4P Round 3
Sarasota City & County | $150,000 | P4P Round 13
Broward County | $25,000 | P4P Round 10
Miami-Dade | $50,000 | P4P Round 9
Miami-Dade | $50,000 | P4P Round 5
Miami-Dade | $65,000 | P4P Round 1
Miami-Dade County | $25,000 | P4P Round 17
Vermont
Burlington | $33,264 | P4P Round 16Burlington | $30,000 | P4P Round 8
North Carolina
Cary | $25,000 | P4P Round 11Charlotte | $75,000 | Equity Initiative Round 2
Tennessee
Knoxville | $74,000 | Equity Initiative Round 1Chattanooga | $40,000 | P4P Round 9
Chattanooga | $30,000 | P4P Round 5
Memphis | $75,000 | P4P Round 4
Chattanooga | $65,000 | P4P Round 2
Knoxville | $74,000 | Equity Initiative Round 1
Chattanooga | $25,000 | P4P Round 18
Knoxville | $9,257 | P4P Mini Grants Round1
Memphis and Shelby counties | $7,017 | P4P Mini Grants Round 1
Illinois
Evanston | $125,000 | Equity Initiative Round 14Chicago | $75,000 | Equity Initiative Round 10
Chicago | $75,000 | Equity Initiative Round 16
Oak Park | $49,250 | Round 2
Chicago | $100,000 | P4P Round 17
Chicago | $7,500 | P4P Mini Grants Round 1
Cook County | $97,909 | P4P Round 19
Ohio
Cuyahoga County| $180,000 | P4P Round 20Cleveland | $50,000 | P4P Round 14
Cleveland | $60,000 | P4P Round 4
Cleveland | $35,000 | P4P Round 7
Toledo | $25,000 | P4P Round 5
Cincinnati | $35,000 | P4P Round 1
Cleveland | $60,000 | Equity Initiative Round 2
Cincinnati | $115,000 | P4P Round 11
Cincinnati | $105,000 | P4P Round 6
Cleveland | $75,000 | P4P Round 18
Missouri
St. Louis | $50,000 | P4P Round 2Columbia | $67,000 | P4P Round 5
Columbia | $100,000 | P4P Round 10
- Using Trees as Green Infrastructure for the 3 E's
Springfield | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 4
Kansas City | $20,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 5
Kansas
Douglas County | $26,000 | P4P Round 16Iowa
Dubuque | $55,000 | P4P Round 3- Racial Equity at the Center of Climate Adaptation Decision Making
Dubuque | $8,500 | P4P Mini Grants Round 2
Hawaii
Honolulu | $75,000 | P4P Round 12Maui County | $8,857 | P4P Mini Grants Round 1
Alaska
Juneau | $25,000 | P4P Round 3Anchorage | $75,000 | P4P Round 18
New Mexico
Las Cruces | $51,981 | Equity Initiative Round 1Las Cruces | $25,000 | P4P Round 11
Albuquerque | $9,500 | P4P Mini Grants Round 2
Santa Fe | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 2
Nebraska
Lincoln | $75,000 | P4P Round 10Kentucky
Louisville | $75,000 | P4P Round 7Louisville | $60,000 | P4P Round 3
Louisville | $42,000 | P4P Round 17
Minnesota
Minneapolis | $75,000 | P4P Round 9Minneapolis | $75,000 | Equity Initiative Round 2
Duluth | $9,257 | P4P Mini Grants Round 1
Duluth | $75,000 | P4P Round 19
Montana
Missoula | $45,000 | P4P Round 7Missoula | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 3
Louisiana
New Orleans | $45,000 | P4P Round 11New Orleans | $39,000 | P4P Round 7
New Orleans | $60,000 | P4P Round 17
New Orleans | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 4
New Jersey
Newark | $60,000 | P4P Round 10Newark | $110,000 | P4P Round 14
Princeton | $30,000 | P4P Round 17
Rhode Island
Newport | $54,240 | P4P Round 16Providence | $50,000 | Equity Initiative Round 1
Providence | $55,000 | Equity Initiative Round 2
Providence | $50,000 | P4P Round 2
Providence | $55,000 | P4P Round 4
Utah
Salt Lake City | $31,500 | Round 11Salt Lake City | $25,000 | Round 4
Park City | $25,000 | Round 16
Salt Lake City | $25,000 | Round 1
Washington
Seattle | $180,000 | P4P Round 20Seattle | $75,000 | P4P Round 6
Seattle | $75,000 | P4P Round 9
Tacoma | $45,000 | P4P Round 10
Tacoma | $75,000 | P4P Round 5
Arizona
Flagstaff| $70,000| P4P Round 20Tuscon | $74,862 | P4P Round 9
Flagstaff | $20,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 5
Washington, D.C.
D.C. | $60,000 | Equity Initiative Round 2Colorado
Boulder | $50,000 | P4P Round 10Denver | $74,959 | P4P Round 13
Boulder Count, City of Boulder and City of Longmont | $108,000 | P4P Round 18
Boulder County and Cities of Boulder and Longmont | $8,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 2
Fort Collins | $10,000 | P4P Mini Grants Round 3
Alberta
Edmonton | $59,883 | Round 12Ontario
Hamilton | $25,000 | Round 5British Columbia
Vancouver | $50,000 | Round 6Meet Our Grantees
Mini Grants
These grants are available to help local governments, local foundations, and frontline community-led groups build relationships, align around project ideas, and ideally develop a proposal that centers racial equity in water, sustainability, and/or climate action work.
Partners for Places Mini Grants are designed to strengthen the relationship between the three partners in order to aid in the development of a full and jointly developed Partners for Places matching grant proposal.
Partners for Places Mini Grants: Round 1
Partners for Places Mini Grants: Round 2
Partners for Places Mini Grants: Round 3
Governance Committee
Lee Hayes Byron
Sustainability Director,
Sarasota County, Fla. (Co-chair)
Ann Fowler Wallace
The Funders Network
Learn More
For more information about the Partners for Places matching grant program, please contact TFN Program Manager Ashley Quintana at ashley@fundersnetwork.org or (305) 667-6350 ext. 201.
“Communities across the U.S. and Canada are coming together to tackle the impacts of climate change with innovative projects that are making a difference in people’s lives, especially those in greatest need. These partnerships foster long-term relationships that in turn help communities become more sustainable, equitable and prosperous places.”
Diane Ives
The Kendeda Fund and co-chair of the Partners for Places Governance Committee.