2024 Violence Reduction Grants

The City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department is offering Violence Reduction Grants, a community-based initiative designed to annually invest in evidence-based violence prevention projects within Bloomington neighborhoods. This program aims to strengthen grassroots organizations focused on violence prevention, ensuring resources reach the residents who need them most. The city has allocated $150,000 to support these efforts, allowing eligible organizations to apply for grants up to $25,000. This initiative directly aligns with a mission to prevent, intervene, and reduce violence, fostering safer and more resilient communities. The target beneficiaries of this grant program include non-profit organizations, neighborhood associations, resident councils, and faith communities serving Bloomington neighborhoods. There is a particular encouragement for applicants with proven experience in crime intervention and addressing issues related to retaliatory and youth-involved violence. The primary impact goal is to directly support community efforts to prevent, intervene, and reduce violence, with a focus on strengthening local capacity and ensuring equitable access to resources for those most affected. The program prioritizes applications that involve collaborations with two or more partners, recognizing the enhanced impact of collective action in addressing complex community challenges. This focus on partnership is a key strategic priority, aiming to leverage diverse strengths and foster comprehensive violence reduction strategies. The underlying theory of change suggests that by empowering and funding neighborhood-based agencies, the city can effectively reduce violence through evidence-based prevention and intervention, leading to tangible improvements in community safety and well-being. Expected outcomes include a decrease in various forms of violence, particularly retaliatory and youth-involved incidents, within Bloomington neighborhoods. Measurable results would involve tracking the number of successful violence prevention projects implemented, the reach and engagement of these projects within targeted communities, and, ideally, a reduction in crime rates and violence-related incidents over time. The program's success will be evaluated based on its ability to strengthen grassroots organizations, foster collaborative community efforts, and ultimately contribute to a safer environment for all Bloomington residents.