Crime prevention program recipients announced

Annual crime prevention grants distributed by the Central Indiana Community Foundation, CICF, have been announced. This year, grant awards increased to nearly $2.9 million for organizations that address record-level violent crime.

The City of Indianapolis has partnered with CICF for the grant program since 2013, after a task force studied how to best address root causes of violence.

Twenty-nine community based groups will receive grants ranging from $60 thousand to $175 thousand. Efforts to reduce violence focus on youth mental health, re-entry employment and domestic violence.

In a written statement, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the money allows for more community led solutions.

“We all have a role to play in violence reduction, and equipping grassroots organizations with the tools they need to succeed ensures we address this crisis at all levels,” he said.

In 2022, additional federal relief funding passed by the City-County Council will address violence reduction plans with $45 million going to grassroots groups.

Application deadlines for the increased 2022 grant funding will be announced in early 2022.

CICF said recipients of grants should implement crime prevention and support programs using “proven or promising” strategies including:

-Focus on integrated, evidence-based outreach activities through discrete activities, active violence disruption, and community canvassing/outreach that targets, engages, and involves hard-to-reach populations connected to gun violence-related activities.

-Provide intervention services to youth ages 16-24 and adults ages 24-30 currently interacting with the criminal justice system and connecting them to community-based services to build the necessary infrastructure to prevent violent crimes in Indianapolis. Recipients should be capable of delivering measurable results in the areas of employment and job retention for the population(s) of focus 

-Improve neighborhood safety within IMPD’s patrol districts through community mobilization efforts to reduce or prevent crime in a specific geographical area 

-Partner with public agencies (The Office of Public Health & Safety, law enforcement, courts, probation, and parole) to help or prevent crime in our community