HISTORY
In February 2017 the SET TASKFORCE REPORT made recommendations for reducing youth violence by improving economic opportunity, educational outcomes, conflict resolution skills, and safe and stable housing. In 2018 the Task Force asked the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation to help facilitate a competitive grantmaking process focused on working toward those recommendations. The Creating Safe, Equitable & Thriving Communities Fund was established through a partnership with the City of Cedar Rapids, Linn County, and the Cedar Rapids Community School District to address inter-relational factors that lead to youth violence in Cedar Rapids.
SET FUND GRANTS
The Board of Directors of the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation recently approved over $123,000 in grants to seven nonprofit organizations from the Creating Safe, Equitable and Thriving Communities (SET) Fund. The Fund made over $160,000 in grants in 2019.

"The grant committee reviewed 21 funding requests totaling $454,109,” says Staci Meade, Financial Management Director at Linn County Community Services. “We were excited to see strong applications that represented new partnerships in the community. We are hopeful about the balance of innovation and established evidence-based models. We wish we could have funded more.”
  • African American Museum of Iowa - AAMI The Voice Project
  • Boys and Girls Club of Cedar Rapids - Street SMART
  • Big Bang Foundation - Cedar Rapids Lights On
  • Jane Boyd Community House/DREEAM Sports - Project My City
  • LBA Foundation - Professional Skills Class
  • Washington High School - Washington High School Mentors Program
  • Willis Dady Emergency Shelter Inc. - Youth Ambassador Program
RESOURCES
National Network for Safe Communities
In June of 2019, eight community members attended the National Network for Safe Communities Conference at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York to learn more about strategies and programs that are working to reduce violence across the United States. Check out David Kennedy’s Keynote Remarks: Toward a Science and Practice of Violence Prevention .

The National Network for Safe Communities (NNSC), an internationally recognized action research center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, provides proven, evidence-based, life-saving violence reduction strategies to dozens of communities across America and beyond. The NNSC’s mission is to create safer communities.

NNSC’s violence reduction work has demonstrated conclusively that within communities the overwhelming majority of residents are not dangerous; rather, the small number of chronic violent offenders are also at the most risk of being victimized themselves. Thus, we are committed to utilizing our evidence-based strategies and support and outreach resources to protect the most vulnerable people in the most vulnerable places.

Indian Creek Nature Center
There have been some studies that show immersion in natural environments, such as taking a walk through a park or forest landscape, can help people re-center and realign their life goals with community goals. Engagement with nature can not only help elevate personal well-being and benefit health and relaxation but might also contribute to an increased sense of community. Learn more about opportunities to engage at the Indian Creek Nature Center.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Community Conversation Follow-up: Safety
Tuesday, February 4, 2020 @ 5:00pm - 6:30pm
Linn County Harris Building
1020 6th St. SE, Cedar Rapids
Saturday, March 07, 2020 @ 10:00am - 2:00pm
Downtown Library - Beems Auditorium A/B
450 5th Ave SE, Cedar Rapids
Tuesday, March 10, 2020 @ 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Downtown Library - Whipple Auditorium
450 5th Ave SE, Cedar Rapids
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Youth Services of America
New Youth Service Zone Grants offer organizations and schools an opportunity to work collaboratively to increase the youth volunteer rates in their community. 
Grant application closes March 27, 2020
Dollar General
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation supports nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and libraries that offer literacy programs in communities served by Dollar General in 44 states.
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
FY 20 Second Chance Act Addressing the Needs of Incarcerated Parents and Their Minor Children.
Grant application closes March 27, 2020
OJJDP FY 2020 National Gang Center
This program furthers the Department’s mission by supporting states’ and communities’ responses to gang-related crime and violence and gang activity by youth and adults.
Grant application closes March 23, 2020
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
2020-Grants to Support New Investigators in Conducting Research Related to Preventing Interpersonal Violence Impacting Children and Youth.
Grant application closes March 13, 2020
The Office of Minority Health (OMH)—Community-wide Approaches for Healthy Children
A funding opportunity to assess the effectiveness of interventions targeted community-wide in order to prevent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in racial/ethnic minority and disadvantaged populations. Forecasted Opportunity/ no close date posted
Bureau of Justice Assistance—FY 2019 STOP School Violence Grant Program
The FY 2019 Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Grant Program is designed to improve school security by providing students and teachers with the tools they need to recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence.
Grant application closes March 3, 2020
Questions, comments, or ideas for future SET Newsletters, please contact:
Rachel Rockwell
SET Program Officer
319.200.4007
Collaborative Partners