Uptown Plaza Grant Program

No.  UBA’s role is to provide grant funding and share information with Organizers on where to apply for a City permit.

Grant amounts vary depending on the hard costs of the event and its duration.  Grants are intended to cover demonstrated need for expenses like permit and insurance fees along with operational expenses.  Activations may be one-time or recurring and funding is only available for those that take place in Uptown Plaza.  Grant funds may not cover 100% of activation expenses.

Yes.  A permit from the City is required, and applying for the permit is a separate process from applying for grant funds.  Find details on activating the plaza and the fees here: Uptown Plaza Activation Program.

Find the City permit application form here: Outdoor Event Space Form

*Note that permit requests could take up to 30 days for approval, and receiving a City permit does not guarantee that you will also get grant funding from the UBA.

The goals of the program are to support positive, community-based, inclusive, and barrier-free activities in the space.  Activities can be (but are not limited to):

Passive and contribute to the appeal and ambiance of the space- such as an art exhibit, pop-up book exchange, live sketching; or

Active to encourage public participation- such as a free dance class, theater sports demonstration, craft market, performance, or board game tournament.

Creative ideas and use of the space encouraged!

Uptown Plaza is best suited for small and medium size activations as the capacity cannot exceed 200 people.  Events that are considered private or require a paid admission are outside of the program goals. Activations that are political in nature, or have divisive or exclusive elements are not a fit for this program.