New grant will activate parks and green spaces

The Memphis chapter of ioby, a national online platform for citizen-led, neighbor-funded projects, has received a $33,000 grant through Livable Memphis to support neighborhood leaders and grassroots groups in activating public parks and green spaces. 

ioby supports citizens as they identify needs and opportunities in their neighborhoods with the online platform and offline support and plan, fund, and implement local projects that make positive change. A “crowd-resourcing” platform, ioby helps leaders design cost-effective solutions, and raise money and volunteers from friends and neighbors to implement their projects. This special match effort, dubbed the “Green Up Memphis Match,” aims to spur dozens of additional projects across the city. 

“The Green Up Memphis Match offers funding beyond the official city park—vacant lots, median strips, and community gardens are also eligible,” said Ellen Roberds, Memphis Action Strategist for ioby. “The process is approachable, accessible, and it’s doable.”

The Green Up Memphis Match application is available here through February 8. Fundraising efforts will begin in March.

ioby has made a clear mark in Memphis since its introduction in 2014. More than 150 Memphians have raised $422,000 through the ioby online platform, with most project budgets under $3000. The national ioby annual report includes countless Memphis mentions.

“ioby accelerates the great work that’s already happening across Memphis at the grassroots level,” said Roberds.

“Memphians, with the help of ioby, have improved parks, planted gardens, created crosswalks, built bus stops, and painted murals. The national arm is intentionally investing in Memphis. It’s time we continue to ‘green up’ our act.”

For information about starting an ioby project, Roberds can be reached directly at [email protected] or 901-402-9920.