Block Party Grants — Project Porchlight

Throw a Block Party.
We’ll Help Cover the Tab.

Block Builders in Lindon can receive up to $50 in reimbursements per block party — up to twice a year. Because the best communities are built around the barbecue.

The Power of Gathering

There’s Something About Eating Together Outside

Block parties have been bringing neighborhoods together for generations — and there’s a reason. When you drag a folding table to the end of the driveway and fire up the grill, something shifts. Guards come down. Names get learned. Kids who’ve passed each other on the sidewalk for years finally run around together. Grownups who’ve waved from across the street actually talk.

It turns out that most people want to know their neighbors. They just haven’t had a reason to stop and connect. A block party is that reason. It’s the most natural, lowest-pressure invitation in the world: “Come over. There’s food. Bring something to share.” No one needs to explain why they showed up. No one has to make small talk feel like an interview. They’re just neighbors, being neighbors.

Research on community connection consistently shows that shared meals and casual outdoor gatherings are among the most powerful ways to build the kind of relationships that fight loneliness. Not formal events. Not programs. Just food, and the people who live near you.

That’s why we created Block Party Grants — because we believe in you, and we want to remove every possible barrier to making it happen.

Neighbors gathered around a picnic table A little one at the neighborhood picnic table
Block Party Grants

Everything You Need to Know

We want this to be simple. Here’s the full picture, without the fine print.

Who’s Eligible

Grants are available to Block Builders who live in Lindon and have signed up through Project Porchlight. Not a Block Builder yet? Sign up here — it’s free and takes 5 minutes.

How Much

Up to $50 per block party, and you can host up to two per year — so up to $100 annually. The grant is designed to cover the cost of meat or the main dish so the rest of the party can be potluck-style.

The Potluck Idea

The grant offsets the cost of the main dish (meat, burgers, hot dogs, or the main ingredient of whatever you’re making). Ask guests to bring sides, salads, and desserts. That way, nobody spends more than they would on a normal family dinner.

Apply Beforehand

Submit your application before the party so we can coordinate with you, learn which street and homes are participating, and confirm your grant. It just takes a few minutes.

How to Claim Your Reimbursement

After the party, submit your grocery receipts, a photo from the event, and the date it happened. We’ll process your reimbursement and get it back to you quickly.

Neighbors playing and laughing together at a block party

Ready to Bring Your Street Together?

Applications take just a few minutes. We’ll confirm your grant and help you get set up for a great party.

Block Builders only — sign up to become a Block Builder first
Apply for a Block Party Grant
The Process

Three Steps to a Great Block Party

1

Apply Before the Party

Fill out the short application form before your event. Tell us the date, the street, and roughly how many households you’re planning to invite. We’ll confirm your grant quickly so you can shop with confidence.

2

Throw the Party

Buy the main dish, invite the neighbors, and let the rest be potluck. Fire up the grill. Let the kids run. Introduce yourself to the person three houses down whose name you’ve never known. That’s the whole plan — and it’s a great one.

3

Submit & Get Reimbursed

After the party, send us your grocery receipts, a photo from the event, and the date it happened. We’ll take it from there and get your reimbursement back to you as quickly as possible.

Party Planning Made Simple

You’ve Got This. Here’s How.

The best block parties aren’t complicated. They don’t require a big budget, a rented tent, or weeks of preparation. They just require someone to say, “Let’s do this.” That’s you. Here’s everything else.

Pick a Date & Time

Summer and early fall evenings work great. Aim for 5:30 or 6:00pm so people are done with work and kids aren’t too tired. Saturday afternoons work too. Give yourself 2–3 weeks of notice so people can plan to come.

Choose Your Space

Your driveway, front lawn, or a neighbor’s yard all work great. In a cul-de-sac? Even better — block it off and use the whole circle. You don’t need much: just enough room for a table, a grill, and some lawn chairs.

Invite Your Neighbors

The best way to invite neighbors is the most personal way. Knock on doors and tell them yourself — a face-to-face invitation has the highest acceptance rate of any method. Back it up with a simple flyer on their door. Aim for the 6–10 houses closest to you and work outward from there. Download a printable invitation template below ↓

Keep the Menu Simple

Use your grant to cover the main dish: burgers, hot dogs, pulled pork, or chicken thighs all work beautifully. Ask each family to bring one side dish, a salad, or a dessert. Lemonade and water from a cooler is all you need for drinks. That’s it — you’re done planning dinner.

Keep It Casual

Don’t over-organize it. A few lawn games (corn hole, bocce ball, a sprinkler for the kids) are great, but the real magic happens in the conversations. Your only job is to get people in the same place at the same time. The community will take care of itself.

Neighbors sharing an outdoor dinner with string lights
Ready to Print

Download a Block Party Invitation

We made it easy. Pick one of these ready-to-print invitation templates, fill in your details, and drop them on your neighbors’ doors a week or two before the party.

Template 1

Block Party Invitation

Invitation Template 1 — print, fill in your details, and deliver to neighbors.

Download PDF
Template 2

Block Party Invitation

Invitation Template 2 — print, fill in your details, and deliver to neighbors.

Download PDF
Template 3

Block Party Invitation

Invitation Template 3 — print, fill in your details, and deliver to neighbors.

Download PDF
Template 4

Block Party Invitation

Invitation Template 4 — print, fill in your details, and deliver to neighbors.

Download PDF

Your Street Is Waiting

The people on your block want to know each other. They’re hoping someone will take the lead. That someone is you — and you don’t have to do it alone or figure it out from scratch. Apply for your grant, pick a date, and we’ll help you make the rest happen.

Questions? Reach us at outreach@loveyouractualneighbor.org