"We Love Kew Gardens" was awarded $1,000 through a city initiative called "Love Your Block."

The grant also includes tips and services to turn visions for improved neighborhoods into realities.

Members of the group say they'll use the money to buy waste receptacles, cigarette chimneys and new garbage pails.

The goal is to encourage neighbors to keep the streets clean.

"Funding goes a long way for these groups because many of them operate on a shoe string budget," said Saleen Shah of Citizens Committee for NYC. "So, to have city agencies on board like NYC service, this is a true public private partnership," 

"We just want our neighborhood to stay clean and beautiful and we want to help out so we help clean up as much as we can and this is definitely going to help with the dog poop problem," said one group member.

The deadline to apply for a grant is January 23. For more information, visit citizens www.nyc.org.