City Launches Violence Prevention Grant Program for Community-Based Organizations

PHILADELPHIA – The City of Philadelphia today launched the Targeted Community Investment Grant Program to award microgrants to community-based organizations that offer high-quality violence prevention services and supports.

The grant program is an integral part of the Philadelphia Roadmap to Safer Communities, a comprehensive action plan unveiled in January to address the increasing gun violence in neighborhoods across the city. The grants, ranging from $500 to $20,000, will specifically support new programs or existing ones that are proven to help prevent or reduce gun violence among youth and young adults. They will be funded with a combination of City dollars, thanks to a transfer ordinance approved earlier this year by City Council, and a portion of a $500,000 state grant, announced last Fall, to expand the Community Crisis Intervention Program (CCIP) in Philadelphia neighborhoods most prone to violence.

Applications for the first cycle of funding are being accepted today through April 30, 2019.  A second application period is expected this summer. The applicant must complete this grant application, including a description of the program or activity to be funded, along with an explanation of how it will help prevent gun violence in the community, a budget that clearly shows how the funds will be used, and details of how success of the project will be measured. Further details are contained in the application form.

“One of the primary tenets of the Roadmap is to better engage neighborhood residents in partnering with the City in its violence reduction work,” said Vanessa Garrett Harley, Deputy Managing Director for Criminal Justice and Public Safety. “We know the City cannot do this work alone. These microgrants are an example of ways the City intends to invest in community-led programs that are effective, and that promote health and social wellness.”

The microgrants will be managed by the Office of Violence Prevention and administered by the Urban Affairs Coalition. Special emphasis will be placed on funding organizations that can meet the educational or employment needs of young men between the ages of 18 to 34. There will also be a preference given to organizations that demonstrate a willingness to serve the most at risk young men living in the Philadelphia communities most affected by gun violence.

“This unique grant opportunity delivers on the promise we made in the Philadelphia Roadmap to Safer Communities, that we would partner with and directly support local efforts focused on preventing and reducing gun violence in communities,” said Theron Pride, Senior Director of Violence Prevention Strategies and Programs. “With this grant program, we hope to provide that support so that more grassroot organizations can continue their good work and thrive.”

Programs receiving the grants must be able to:

• Demonstrate a commitment to improving the lives of all Philadelphians and how it helps reduce gun violence in a sustainable way.
• Demonstrate potential impact on the community related to reducing the risk of gun violence.
• Demonstrate community support for violence prevention and anti-violence activities and programs.

Applicants must be residents of the City of Philadelphia or an organization with strong ties to the community and based in the city serving Philadelphia residents. Neighborhood and cultural organizations, local businesses, youth-serving agencies, accredited educational institutions, or places of worship may apply if they are located in the neighborhood or serve the residents of the neighborhood in which they are applying for funding. If applying as an individual, you must live in the neighborhood in which you are seeking to implement programming or demonstrate strong ties to the neighborhood and residents that you plan to assist.

Beyond the Targeted Community Investment Grant Program, Mayor Kenney’s new budget and Five Year Plan also calls for Increased support for grants for community groups on the front lines of neighborhood violence as part of $30 million in additional investments to support the Roadmap. Among other investments:

• Additional funding for the Community Crisis Intervention Program (CCIP) and the Youth Violence Reduction Partnership (YVRP).
• Enhanced L&I enforcement for unsafe and abandoned properties, vacant lots, and side yards in high risk neighborhoods.
• Nearly $12 million in funding for Neighborhood Resource Centers (NRCs), which give people returning from a period of incarceration, or on court mandated supervision and their families,  access to a broad range of services to support successful reintegration and ultimately lower recidivism.

Additional resources for “Operation Pinpoint,” the Police Department’s multifaceted crime-fighting and information-sharing strategy.