This blog has often considered Philly’s great abundance of “third places,”  and one of the best things about this city is that a great many of them are free — they’re parks and rec centers, or even just little slivers hanging around these streets where you can simply just sit and be. What often happens with these spaces, though, is that often, they’re underused, underfunded, or simply need some new life breathed into them. Two new programs around town are looking to change that, though, in ways both large and small. 

Headed up by ​​the Knight Foundation, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and REC Philly, Making Space is a new initiative that looks to turn unused Parks & Rec spaces into small business incubators and mentorship spaces: 

Making Space: Reimagining Recreation [is] an initiative that reimagines  Philly recreational centers as community hubs where innovation & creativity happen. Local entrepreneurs will run their businesses for FREE in rec centers while giving back to the next generation of creators and makers. 

You can learn more about Making Space (not to be confused with Making Time, which is… different) here. Meanwhile, there’s also Feet First Philly, a microgrant program that just launched, that’s more about improving public spaces at the literal street level: 

Feet First Philly is partnering with the Department of Public Health to provide funding for mini-grants of $500 to $2000 to create public space enhancements and safety improvements where they are needed the most. Residents and community groups in low income communities and communities of color are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Got an idea? Apply here.

So there you have it: Good people are still doing good things because WE ALL (MOST OF US) DESERVE GOOD THINGS! Have you got some good news to share? If so, send it to tips[at]philebrity[dot]com with “GOOD MOTHERFUCKING NEWS!” in the subject header — we’d love to hear about it.