The Cleveland Foundation is now accepting proposals for the second round of awards from City Hall’s violence prevention fund, known as the Neighborhood Safety Fund. Unlike last year’s grants, which were announced in late December, the city is aiming to get this year’s money distributed before the start of summer, when violence and crime tends to peak. Similar to last year, up to $1 million in grants are expected to be provided to community organizations who seek to stem violence in various ways. This year, grants will be prioritized for organizations that focus on youth diversion and mentoring, and violence interruption, among other related areas. The money will also be prioritized for programs that serve specific neighborhoods with high crime rates. The committee that oversees the violence prevention fund chose those locations based on health indicators, violent crime trends, and other police data over the past three years. Mayor Justin Bibb described this round of funding as a “targeted approach” that seeks to fill programmatic and geographic gaps that weren’t addressed in last year’s grants. The grants “offer a chance to help people break free from harmful cycles and connect with important resources like healthcare, job training and other support services,” said Councilman Richard Starr, a member of the Neighborhood Safety Fund’s nine-person advisory committee. Bibb and City Council seeded the fund in 2023 using $10 million from Cleveland’s American Rescue Plan Act. The goal is to address the root causes of violence before it can happen, particularly among young people. The Cleveland Foundation manages the fund and seeks additional donations. City leaders conceived of the fund as a way to create an ever-replenishing pot of money strictly dedicated to violence prevention. To receive the money, violence prevention organizations must operate as nonprofits. Applications for 2024 grants are being accepted April 24 through May 10.
