Vibrant Spaces
Creating vibrant spaces of interconnectedness & belonging, where all members of our communities can thrive
People who feel a sense of belonging have the confidence to find creative solutions to society’s greatest challenges. And communities are stronger when everyone is part of building the vision for the future.
Featured Project
The Jessie
The Jessie brings together the Jacksonville community and its nonprofits in a setting that appreciates our rich history while responding to the demands of today. Housed in one of the city’s architectural jewels, the Jessie provides offices for nonprofits and work & gathering spaces for the community in an energy-efficient environment with state-of-the-art technology.
Featured Project
Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park
Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park is a City of Jacksonville public park in the historic LaVilla neighborhood in Jacksonville. The Park honors two of Jacksonville’s most famous residents: brothers James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson. The Johnson brothers wrote “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing,” often called the Black National Anthem, at their home in the LaVilla neighborhood between 1900 and 1905.
Designed by world-renowned MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant” recipient Walter Hood, the park incorporates elements of the Johnson brothers’ and LaVilla’s cultural and built history while making space for a more inclusive future.
Featured Project
Vibrant Places Collective
The Vibrant Places Collective is a community-led group that curates exciting, inclusive programming every week at Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park in the historic LaVilla neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida. The Collective is made up of historians, LaVilla natives and community leaders who have a connection to the park and the song.
The Collective is focused on honoring LaVilla’s history while celebrating its vibrant future, by lifting up local entrepreneurs, educators, and activators who bring the Park’s vision to life.
Featured Project
Murals in Downtown Jacksonville
A series of colorful murals, mosaics, and photography installations in downtown Jacksonville that honor communities leaders from across our city. Created by artists Celso González, Alexis Diaz, and others, the public artworks feature Black, Latinx, and Asian civil rights leaders, artists, poets, and humanitarians.
Featured Project
Funding vibrant public spaces
The PEF is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting a sense of belonging for all residents in Jacksonville, Florida. PEF aims to achieve this by promoting increased access to public spaces and enriching programming of those spaces. One of the spaces supported by PEF is Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing Park in the historic LaVilla neighborhood.
Featured Project
Activating Jacksonville’s Riverfront
In 2021, the Jessie Ball duPont Fund convened a group of experts to explore what it will take to create a vibrant, active downtown riverfront for the benefit of all of Jacksonville's residents and visitors. The project has included extensive community conversations, stakeholder workshops, and public presentations.
