HARRISBURG – (Dec. 7, 2018) Grant applications are now being accepted to fight community violence, Sen. Michele Brooks announced today, and municipalities, colleges and community groups are encouraged to apply before the Feb. 7, 2019 deadline.
The grants will be offered as part of a new program included in this year’s state budget to improve school safety and combat community violence. A total of $7.5 million will be awarded statewide through June 30 to support community violence prevention programs.
“Violence in the community often spills over into schools, and vice versa; this program aims to take a more comprehensive approach to the problems of community violence,” Sen. Brooks said. “It is our hope that these grants will help build stronger partnerships in the community with the goal of creating a safer environment for our children.”
Eligible uses for the grants include mentoring services and other intervention services for at-risk children and families; promoting communication between school entities and law enforcement; linking the community with local trauma support and behavioral health systems; and launching other programs designed to reduce community violence.
An additional $52.5 million in grants will be awarded to school districts to improve school safety throughout this fiscal year. The first round of these school safety grants was announced in October.
Applications and more information about the grants are available on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s website at www.pccd.pa.gov under the School Safety and Security heading.
Contact: Diane McNaughton (717) 787-1322 dmmcnaughton@pasen.gov