December 5, 2023
The City of Edmonton encourages community organizations to apply for a new grant aimed at gang violence prevention and intervention for youth and adults. Applications will be accepted until January 31, 2024.
Under the new Building Safer Communities Fund grant, the City is distributing $1.5 million to new community-led projects in 2024 through two main grant streams - gang prevention and gang intervention/exiting programs. This one-time funding will support evidence-based programs for up to two years and up to a maximum of $250,000 per year to help disrupt pathways to violence among youth and adults and provide intervention supports for individuals already involved.
The City of Edmonton Social Development Branch has been working with its community partners to determine Edmonton’s community approach through a steering committee composed of REACH Edmonton, the University of Alberta and the Edmonton Police Service. The steering committee will review all grant applications.
“This grant will help address the complex social issue of gangs in our community by supporting youth at risk and adults through new prevention and intervention programs, which will build on the good work already being done in Edmonton,” said Chelsea Hawrelak, Director, Safe and Healthy Communities at the City of Edmonton.
“At REACH, we know it is important to support preventative, community-based approaches. In our work, we have seen that effective solutions come from the community, where local groups have the expertise and knowledge to address the complex challenges they face. We are so pleased to be involved in the Building Safer Communities Fund, which is sure to benefit our local communities tremendously,” said Jan Fox, Executive Director, REACH Edmonton.
“This is an important endeavour, and I look forward to seeing our community and partners come together to work towards supporting those who are at risk of, or currently struggling with gang involvement,” said Dr. Marta-Marika Urbanik, Centre for Criminological Research, University of Alberta.
“Gang-related crime is a city-wide issue in Edmonton, and as a community, we must make every effort to deter the harm and exploitation it causes. As part of the Building Safer Communities Fund Steering Committee, we look forward to the innovative solutions applicants will bring forward and are dedicated to providing insight and guidance to those seeking to impact positive change in our city,” said Inspector Anna Sinclair, Community and Youth Response Branch, Edmonton Police Service.
This community grant was identified in Edmonton’s community approach for combating gun and gang violence as one of four key priority areas for spending the federal government’s investment of $4.2 million under the Building Safer Communities Fund, which was announced last week.
Grant Deadlines and Information Sessions
- The deadline for Building Safer Communities Fund grant applications is January 31, 2024.
- Interested organizations are invited to attend upcoming information sessions starting December 14, 2023 and running through to January 17, 2024. Registration is encouraged but not mandatory.
