San Diego, CA–San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan is seeking local applicants for the DA’s Community Grant Program.
The program is being expanded as her office seeks to engage a more diverse group of non-profit organizations and other community partners that can help build safer neighborhoods.
Grants are available to community-based organizations regardless of zip code that is identifying and implementing new and innovative methods to address community safety and expand community assets – such as hope and resilience.
“Our office has been able to show that partnering with and empowering community organizations that are doing exceptional work with small grants allows us to enhance cultural competence in serving crime victims and preventing harm,” said DA Stephan. “Many smaller community-based service organizations may not realize this grant funding exists, so we’re working harder to let them know and are encouraging them to consider applying.”
In 2018, the County Board of Supervisors authorized the District Attorney Community Crime Reduction Grant Program to support collaborative public safety efforts with community-based organizations up to $3,000,000 each year.
The program is funded by the California Board of State and Community Corrections. Grants of up to $50,000 will be provided to participating organizations for a maximum of 12 months to grow promising community-based solutions that produce positive results in the following focus areas: Youth and family support, environmental justice, protecting vulnerable youth and victim support.
These focus areas were determined in collaboration with stakeholders and community partners and are supported by trends in regional crime data. The District Attorney’s Office is also eager and excited to partner with small organizations embedded in communities who may not have had access to grant opportunities previously but are poised to propose innovative and dynamic approaches to addressing the above four areas of focus. The DA’s Office is committed to ensuring providers who receive grants reflect the diverse makeup of the communities we serve.
To be eligible, organizations must have a business license or be a verified non-profit organization that has been in operation for at least one year.
Grant funding is intended to implement new programs/projects, or to expand existing programs with new and innovative methods to address community safety in the specified areas of focus. Funds are not intended to supplant or replace existing funding and future funding is based on funding availability and not assured.
