The Elevation Grant Program

The Central Indiana Community Foundation is accepting applications for its Elevation Grant Program. Donor Name: Central Indiana Community Foundation State: Indiana County: Marion County (IN) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline:  06/14/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: Areas of Interest  Thriving Neighborhoods Place-based efforts are designed to support neighborhoods that promote safety, strengthen social networks among residents and reduce or prevent crime in a specific geographical area as defined by a neighborhood and/or community and led by engaged residents and community leaders. Organizations applying for support in this area must be able to measure how efforts have increased residents’ safety and awareness in a particular area through resident surveys, increased crime reporting, or using crime statistics. These efforts may include: a focus on sustained efforts to engage residents and community over time to increase social bonds and decrease crime within specific neighborhoods, zip codes, or other geographical areas (i.e., crime watch, block parties, bystander safety workshops and trainings, resource fairs, anti-violence messaging campaigns, etc.) a focus on building community partnerships with public systems (law enforcement, court systems, prosecutor’s office, and corrections) within a specific geographical area to help reduce criminal activity by assisting with solving crimes, increasing crime reporting, or providing information to help prevent the occurrence of a crime (i.e., reentry resource fairs for families & community, driver’s license reinstatement fairs, engage in truth and reconciliation process to increase public trust, etc.) a focus on improving physical assets and spaces within a neighborhood that has the potential of improving resident safety and/or deterring criminal behavior and/or activity. (i.e., physical design and beautification to promote a sense of ownership and decrease stigmatization of an undesirable area). Empowered Youth / Young Adult Programs focus their efforts on providing supportive services (such as employment, education, mentoring, recreation, and family support services) to youth and young adults who face unique challenges and may have a higher likelihood of community disengagement without the proper intervention strategies. Organizations applying in this area should be able to demonstrate the impact of services and the ability to improve current conditions of program participants. A formal mentorship component should include regular meetings (at least three to four times a month) of sufficient duration (six to twelve months). Priorities for organizations that provide services to both youth and the parent/guardians. This effort may include a focus to increase protective factors and develop resiliency skills of specifically targeted youth and adult populations, including education, employment, and housing services: Youth (12-16) including those in foster care, struggling academically, suspended or expelled from school multiple times, truant, or known to be affiliated with gang activity. Opportunity Youth (16-24) also known as disengaged youth, are out of school, not enlisted, and not working, often resulting from systematic barriers to jobs and education. Young Adults (24-35) who face unique social-economic or social-emotional challenges, e.g., chronic unemployment, suffering from a substance use disorder, and/or trauma. Restoration & Resilience Providing appropriate community-based social-emotional development opportunities, mental health support, conflict resolution skills for youth and young adults. Programs and/or services that promote healing centers, trauma response services, therapeutic models, and reduce the use of drugs and/or alcohol. (i.e., recovery café, mediation centers, yoga, cognitive-behavioral therapy, art therapy & artistic expression programming). Justice-Involved Supports Programs focus their efforts on providing supportive services to residents currently interacting with the criminal legal system. These services support productive citizenship, financial self-sufficiency and reduce recidivism. Organizations applying in this area should be able to demonstrate how efforts influence an individual’s ability to gain skills, obtain work, secure housing, and prevent interaction with the local criminal legal system after being convicted of a crime. These efforts may include: a focus on providing support services to youth to prevent interaction with the juvenile legal system, the adult criminal legal systems, or gangs a focus on providing support services to adults who were or are currently involved in the criminal legal system to become economically self-sufficient, reintegrate into the local community and reduce recidivism Intervention Programs/efforts that implement integrated 24/7 crisis response services and supports for the priority population, ages 18-35. The response services could include housing, food, accredited childcare, mental health supports, and other crisis help after 6 pm or on the weekends. Immediate support for sheltering fathers with children in time of crisis is an area of need. For intimate partner violence, The Elevation Grant Program will consider strategies that engage and service perpetrators/actors of violence in order to get to the root causes/prevent issues in the future and/or intervene with current abuse. Priority Population Individuals  meeting the criteria below: Black/Latinx males between the ages of 18-35. Individuals most at-risk of violent victimization or perpetration of violent acts (previously shot/known gun activity, close friend/family member shot in last 12 months), referring to pro-social & supported grassroots and community-based organizations. Individuals with multiple interactions with the criminal legal system and unemployed, underemployed, and/or without a high school diploma or HSE/GED. Funding Information $20,000 – $250,000 Grant Period  Grant period begins: Oct. 1, 2024  Grant cycle period ends: Sept. 30, 2025  Geographic Restriction Marion County Eligibility Criteria Organizations may apply to multiple program interest areas and are required to submit an application per each interest area. Organizations that are start-ups and/or pilot programs may be considered for infrastructure development support. Applicant must be a 501(c)(3) public charity or an individual or entity with an appropriate 501(c)(3) public charity serving as a fiscal sponsor. Applicant must be located in Marion County, Indiana and serve residents in Marion County, Indiana. With respect to fiscal sponsorship, a 501(c)(3) public charity may serve as a fiscal sponsor for a for-profit organization, an unincorporated association, or an individual operating with a charitable purpose but without a 501(c)(3). A 501(c)(3) public charity may also serve as a fiscal sponsor for a grassroots 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For more information, visit CICF.