WHAT is this program: The FutureHeights Neighborhood Mini-Grants program awards (up to $1,000) is for citizen-led projects that benefit Cleveland Heights and University Heights neighborhoods. The intention of the Neighborhood Mini-Grants program is to offer support to Cleveland Heights and University Heights groups who wish to build community by working together to start or sustain a neighborhood project or initiative. Since 2015, we are proud to have provided mini-grant funding to 102 projects for a total of $71,780 awarded. Check out past projects and learn more in the 2024 – Neighborhood Mini-Grants Projects Report.
WHO should apply: Cleveland Heights or University Heights residents, neighborhood associations, or organizations who need a little start-up cash to get their project up and running. Please note: The FutureHeights Neighborhood Mini-Grant is a reimbursement-based grant. Groups/projects can receive funding once per year (ex: if you receive funding in the Fall round, you would be eligible to apply again the next Fall round).
WHEN is it happening: We offer two rounds of the Neighborhood Mini-Grants every year: once in the spring and once in the fall.
WHY should you consider applying: FutureHeights’ vision is to have vibrant neighborhoods that have increased resilience through grassroots participation in civic life. Through the utilization of a program like Neighborhood Mini-Grants, Cleveland Heights and University Heights neighborhoods become stronger as neighbors get to know each other, making them better equipped to address challenges in the physical and social environment. This empowering program activates the assets of everyday people, nonprofit organizations, and public resources and departments and establishes a legacy of pride and commitment to the place where the participants live, work, and play.
HOW TO APPLY: Click here to access the Spring 2025 application. We use a Google Form application. If your group is unable to fill out an electronic version of the application, please reach out to info@futureheights.org for assistance.
DUE DATES: Applications are due March 15th (for the spring round) or September 15th (for the fall round) by 11:59pm.
FutureHeights begins the new year with the news that Sarah Wolf, its long-standing community-building programs manager, has decided to pursue other interests and transition to new opportunities at the end of January.
Wolf has been a dedicated member of the FutureHeights staff, and her work in furthering the Heights community’s interests stands as testament to the importance of grassroots organizing and citizen engagement. She excels at both.
Wolf has left an indelible mark on the nonprofit organization. The torch she lit has sparked conversations among crowds throughout two cities, bringing them together as one community.
It is with sincere gratitude and great honor that FutureHeights carries the torch into this new year, and beyond.
Thank you, Sarah.
In 2022, we discussed ways for residents to get more actively involved in Sustainability, Housing and Neighborhood Preservation, Community Safety, and Civic Engagement. In 2023, we talked about Our Public Schools, Traveling Around Town, Building Community with Renters and Landlords, and Planning and Development in the Heights. In 2024, we talked about Living Less Car-Centric, Turning the Noble Neighborhood and Business District Into a Destination, Our Public Parks, and Severance Town Center.
WHAT will be our topics for 2025???
was LIVE until the end of the day on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. The top vote-getters will become our 2025 Crowdsourced Conversations forum series.
FutureHeights is hiring a full-time Housing Program Manager
Position Summary: The Housing Program Manager has the primary responsibility of directing and managing the organization’s Housing Rehabilitation Program. This position will be responsible for the identification and acquisition of residential property to be rehabilitated in furtherance of the organization’s two-year contractual agreement with the City of Cleveland Heights. While this position is not limited to a period of two years, the Housing Program Manager’s primary responsibility during 2025 and 2026 will be to successfully execute the organization’s housing rehabilitation activities.
The application period is now closed.
Call for Applicants!
APPLY TO JOIN THE FUTUREHEIGHTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Are you filled with ideas and energy for improving your community? Can you give time and talent to make the Heights an even better place to live?
FutureHeights seeks candidates for its board of directors to fill seats as current members’ terms expire. New board members will serve a three-year term. Applicants should be members of Cleveland Heights or University Heights communities. Applicants should have a vested interest in the organization and the communities it serves and have the time and talent to donate to the success of the organization and its programming. Applications are due by March 1, 2024, and can be found at the link below.
About FutureHeights
FutureHeights is a nonprofit community development corporation whose mission is to facilitate an equitable, prosperous, and vibrant future for Cleveland Heights and University Heights. We work toward this mission through a variety of program areas, including:
· We Care About Housing Our FutureHomes program (est. 2019) has overseen the purchase, rehab, and sale of over 20 houses in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods with the aim of promoting fair housing practices and increased owner-occupancy rates. We are currently rehabbing our 21st and 22nd homes. The 20 homes completed have resulted in a net gain of almost $3.5 million in home values.
· We Care About Community-Building and Strengths-Based Leadership We run the Neighborhood Leadership Workshop, the twice-annual Neighborhood Mini-Grants Program (both est. 2015), and the Crowdsourced Conversations Forum Series (est. 2022), all of which serve to empower residents to engage with and improve this community.
· We Care About Economic Development We organize and staff events that promote Heights businesses such as the Heights Music Hop and Best of the Heights, and assist the City with community engagement on city development projects.
· We Care About Community Voice We publish and distribute the Heights Observer (est. 2008), a free community newspaper for both Cleveland Heights and University Heights, now celebrating 15 years of service to the Cleveland Heights and University Heights communities. The Heights Observer represents citizen journalism: a place where all stakeholders can share news and opinions about their community.
Board Service Overview
The board is made up of members of the Cleveland Heights and University Heights communities. Board members come from all walks of life, represent all neighborhoods, and bring their various skills, talents, and interests with them to assist the organization.
Board members participate actively by guiding the organization and its programming, providing staff and event support, friend-raising and fundraising, serving on committees, and more. Serving a large and diverse area, the organization’s board and new members should reflect and represent the diversity of that service area. Consideration will be given to ensure that the experiences, backgrounds, neighborhoods, or skills of new members add to the diversity of the organization at-large.
Board service is a great way to meet new neighbors, to support projects in your own backyard, and to give time and talent back to the communities we love calling home.
Help us elevate the Heights!
Applications are due by December 1, 2024, and interviews will be conducted shortly thereafter.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPLICATION
For the first time ever, the City of University Heights is hosting its very own Crowdsourced Conversations! The topic: Sustainability. Crowdsourced Conversations is a community-building program that provides a safe and welcoming space for Heights residents to come together and brainstorm ways to become more engaged in the community.
The survey was live from October 1-October 31st. The forum took place on Tuesday, November 19 from 7pm-8:30pm in the Large Music Room, (M109) at Wiley Middle School. Opening remarks were made by Mayor Michael Brennan along with Deanna Bremer Fisher before we turned it over to our small group discussions.
This event was free to attend.
How Crowdsourced Conversations flows:
Step One: The Survey!
- The purpose of our survey is to reach as many Heights stakeholders as possible in order to generate meaningful action-oriented small group discussion questions for our event on the topic.
Step Two: The Data!
- Once the survey closes, we will generate a report to share the results. This report will be housed on the FutureHeights website and will be shared with community partners, elected officials, and more.
- We will also use the survey results to generate small group discussion questions for our Crowdsourced Conversations event on the topic.
Step Three: The Conversation!
- All Heights residents/stakeholders are encouraged to participate in our Crowdsourced Conversations forum.
- While there will be brief opening remarks by guest speakers, this forum series emphasizes the small group discussions that are action-oriented and strengths-based.
Step Four: The Follow-up!
- After our forum night, all event participants will have the opportunity to stay connected to the other members of their small group discussion and will receive electronic copies of the survey report and any other resources utilized during the event.
- All event participants will also be able to help us co-create a Resource Page on the forum topic that will live on the FutureHeights website.
This forum series will be an opportunity to connect with other Heights residents about topics that impact us in a variety of overlapping ways. We hope you can join us for all four conversations! Any questions, connect with info@futureheights.org.
THANK YOU!
This topic was selected by the City of University Heights Citizens Advisory Committee on Sustainability.
This forum is being planned in partnership with FutureHeights and the City of University Heights as well as the UH residents. Thank you for the joy, wisdom, and enthusiasm you bring to the table!
Our fourth and final topic for our 2024 round of the Crowdsourced Conversation forum series is “Severance Town Center.” The survey was live September 15-October 15. The forum on this topic took place on Tuesday, November 12 from 7pm-8:30pm at Heights High School.
Crowdsourced Conversations is a community-building program that provides a safe and welcoming space for Heights residents to come together and brainstorm ways to become more engaged in the community.
Additional info about the November 12 forum here.
This event is free to attend.
How Crowdsourced Conversations flows:
Step One: The Survey!
- The purpose of our survey is to reach as many Heights stakeholders as possible in order to generate meaningful action-oriented small group discussion questions for our event on the topic.
Step Two: The Data!
- Once the survey closes, we will generate a report to share the results. This report will be housed on the FutureHeights website and will be shared with community partners, elected officials, and more.
- We will also use the survey results to generate small group discussion questions for our Crowdsourced Conversations event on the topic.
Step Three: The Conversation!
- All Heights residents/stakeholders are encouraged to participate in our Crowdsourced Conversations forum.
- While there will be brief opening remarks by guest speakers, this forum series emphasizes the small group discussions that are action-oriented and strengths-based.
- This event will likely take place at the end of June 2024 (details TBD).
Step Four: The Follow-up!
- After our forum night, all event participants will have the opportunity to stay connected to the other members of their small group discussion and will receive electronic copies of the survey report and any other resources utilized during the event.
- All event participants will also be able to help us co-create a Resource Page on the forum topic that will live on the FutureHeights website.
This forum series will be an opportunity to connect with other Heights residents about topics that impact us in a variety of overlapping ways. We hope you can join us for all four conversations! Any questions, email info@futureheights.org.
THANK YOU!
The 2024 forum series is being planned in partnership with FutureHeights Community & Civic Engagement Committee, Height Libraries, Home Repair Resource Center, Cleveland Heights Green Team, Heights Bicycle Coalition City of Cleveland Heights Racial Justice Task Force, representatives of Cleveland Heights City Council, and more. Thank you for the joy, wisdom, and enthusiasm you bring to the table!
Our third topic for our 2024 round of the Crowdsourced Conversation forum series is “Our Public Parks.” The survey was LIVE July 1-July 31.
Our forum on the subject took place on Thursday, August 29 from 7pm-8:30pm at Forest Hill Park Picnic Pavilions 2A& 2B.
Visit the Resource Page for this forum here.
How Crowdsourced Conversations flows:
Step One: The Survey!
- The purpose of our survey is to reach as many Heights stakeholders as possible in order to generate meaningful action-oriented small group discussion questions for our event on the topic.
Step Two: The Data!
- Once the survey closes, we will generate a report to share the results. This report will be housed on the FutureHeights website and will be shared with community partners, elected officials, and more.
- We will also use the survey results to generate small group discussion questions for our Crowdsourced Conversations event on the topic.
Step Three: The Conversation!
- All Heights residents/stakeholders are encouraged to participate in our Crowdsourced Conversations forum.
- While there will be brief opening remarks by guest speakers, this forum series emphasizes the small group discussions that are action-oriented and strengths-based.
- This event will likely take place at the end of June 2024 (details TBD).
Step Four: The Follow-up!
- After our forum night, all event participants will have the opportunity to stay connected to the other members of their small group discussion and will receive electronic copies of the survey report and any other resources utilized during the event.
- All event participants will also be able to help us co-create a Resource Page on the forum topic that will live on the FutureHeights website.
This forum series will be an opportunity to connect with other Heights residents about topics that impact us in a variety of overlapping ways. We hope you can join us for all four conversations! Any questions, email info@futureheights.org.
THANK YOU!
The 2024 forum series is being planned in partnership with FutureHeights Community & Civic Engagement Committee, Height Libraries, Home Repair Resource Center, Cleveland Heights Green Team, Heights Bicycle Coalition City of Cleveland Heights Racial Justice Task Force, representatives of Cleveland Heights City Council, and more. Thank you for the joy, wisdom, and enthusiasm you bring to the table!
Our second topic for our 2024 round of the Crowdsourced Conversation forum series was “Turning the Noble Neighborhood & Business District Into a Destination.” Our forum on the subject took place on Wednesday, June 26 from 7pm-8:30pm at the Noble Library branch (2800 Noble Road).
How Crowdsourced Conversations flows:
Step One: The Survey!
- The purpose of our survey is to reach as many Heights stakeholders as possible in order to generate meaningful action-oriented small group discussion questions for our event on the topic.
Step Two: The Data!
- Once the survey closes, we will generate a report to share the results. This report will be housed on the FutureHeights website and will be shared with community partners, elected officials, and more.
- We will also use the survey results to generate small group discussion questions for our Crowdsourced Conversations event on the topic.
Step Three: The Conversation!
- All Heights residents/stakeholders are encouraged to participate in our Crowdsourced Conversations forum.
- While there will be brief opening remarks by guest speakers, this forum series emphasizes the small group discussions that are action-oriented and strengths-based.
- This event will likely take place at the end of June 2024 (details TBD).
Step Four: The Follow-up!
- After our forum night, all event participants will have the opportunity to stay connected to the other members of their small group discussion and will receive electronic copies of the survey report and any other resources utilized during the event.
- All event participants will also be able to help us co-create a Resource Page on the forum topic that will live on the FutureHeights website.
This forum series will be an opportunity to connect with other Heights residents about topics that impact us in a variety of overlapping ways. We hope you can join us for all four conversations! Any questions, email info@futureheights.org.
THANK YOU!
The 2024 forum series is being planned in partnership with FutureHeights Community & Civic Engagement Committee, Height Libraries, Home Repair Resource Center, Cleveland Heights Green Team, Heights Bicycle Coalition City of Cleveland Heights Racial Justice Task Force, representatives of Cleveland Heights City Council, and more. Thank you for the joy, wisdom, and enthusiasm you bring to the table!
Robert (Bob) Brown, former Director of the city of Cleveland’s Planning Department with over 38 years of experience in city planning, also has been active in FutureHeights for many years, having served on the Planning and Development Committee, the Housing Committee, and as a previous Board chairperson. Bob also served as an interim Executive Director for the MidTown CDC in Cleveland, and we are thankful that Bob has volunteered his expertise during this important time of transition.
Contact Bob at citybobbrown@gmail.com.