Streets for Kids Open for Applications from Cities

Applications are now open for cities to join NACTO’s Streets for Kids program. Twelve cities around the world will be selected to receive in-depth technical assistance to make their streets safer and more inviting for children and their caretakers.

The goals of the Streets for Kids program are to:

• Catalyze the implementation of street designs that support sustainable mobility choices and advance the well-being of children and their caregivers
• Provide child-focused design guidance
• Build local capacity through trainings and give participants an expanded toolkit to create streets that are safe, enjoyable, and inspirational
• Support demonstration projects that have the potential to inspire large-scale change

Streets for Kids is part of NACTO’s Global Designing Cities Initiative (GDCI), a multi-year program to advance street designs that create safe public spaces for kids of all ages and abilities to learn, play, and move around a city. This year, GDCI will publish a design guide focused on child-friendly urban design and planning, supplementing its Global Street Design Guide. The  guide will highlight strategies, programs, and policies that cities around the world have used to design spaces that enable children to utilize streets in safe and creative ways. 

GDCI will work directly with practitioners in 12 selected cities to reimagine and redesign their streets to support comfortable, healthy, and inspiring environments for all children. 

GDCI is now accepting applications from cities to join the Streets for Kids program. All cities are eligible, and cities in low- and middle-income countries are especially encouraged to apply.  Applications are accepted from government institutions, municipalities, mayors’ offices, city departments, nonprofit organizations and NGOs. Nonprofits and NGOs must partner with local government or include a letter of approval, MOU, or endorsement from local government. Individuals or private sector organizations are not eligible to apply but can be listed as partners on the application.

Applicants applying for technical assistance must specify a city where project activities will take place and demonstrate a commitment from local officials to support project implementation. Further, these applicants must have a knowledge base of necessary permits, approvals, etc., needed to implement temporary or permanent streetscape projects. Read more and apply HERE.

The deadline for applications is  Tuesday 26 February 2019, at 5:00 p.m. ET (New York City time).

The program is supported by the Bernard van Leer Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Foundation Botnar, and FIA Foundation.