UPDATE 1/4/2019 - The Stop the Violence Mini-Grant recipients have been announced:
- Revitalize Arlington, Inc.
- Northside Coalition of Jacksonville
- Don't Miss A Beat, Inc.
- Jacksonville Community Coalition, Inc.
- Cage Consulting
- Northwest Behavioral Health Service, Inc.
- Boy Scouts of America, North Florida Council, Inc
- Boys' and Girls' Club
- Tristan's Acceleration Academy
- WILD edu
- God's Glory from Heaven Outreach Ministries Inc.
- Trinity Delivernce Christian Church
- Marathon High Non-Profit
- The Foundation Academy
- 2nd Mile Ministries
- Us & Our Children
- Excellence Academy for the Performing and Visual Arts
- Carver Lincoln
- Annie Ruth Foundation
- Project A.K.A.
- Solid Rock Missionary Baptist Church
- Empowerment Resources
- Cathedral Arts Project
- Police Athletic League of Jacksonville, Inc.
- AMIkids Jacksonville
- P.S. Never Give Up Hope Inc.
- Heart for Children
- Heart To Heart Christian Academy & Childcare Inc.
- Electas House Inc
- YMCA
- Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
- Hope at Hand, Inc.
- Jacksonville Arts & Music School
- Junior Achievement of North Florida
- 100 Black Men
- The Chosen of God Miracle Kingdom Builders
- Jacksonville Urban League (Partial grantee)
Original Story - An Action News Jax investigation uncovered money meant for local organizations to crack down on crime has been delayed.
Action News Jax first told you about the 'Stop the Violence' mini-grants promised to grassroots and faith-based organizations at the end of August.
One organizer said the delay means her program may not be able to continue for the duration of the school year, at certain schools.
Some grassroots organizations are now being forced to lean on each other for help.
STORY: Jacksonville mayor, sheriff address programs to stop the violence
Action News Jax Investigator Courtney Cole spoke to the Kids Hope Alliance to try and get answers about why the allocation of money has been delayed and when they can expect to receive the grants they applied for.
Where is the money? That's what some youth-based organizations in Jacksonville want to know, now.
At the end of August, local organizations were encouraged by Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and Councilman Reggie Gaffney to apply for ‘Stop the Violence’ mini-grant money.
STORY: Father who lost son to gun violence makes it his mission to mentor misguided youth
Here’s the breakdown of where the now $464,550 will come from:
- $300,000 was approved by City Council Finance Committee
- $50,000 was contributed by Mayor Curry
- $50,000 already budgeted for Kids Hope Alliance
- $64,550 added from leftover council funds.
This money falls under the KHA umbrella.
When Action News Jax Courtney Cole asked Councilman Garrett Dennis about the status of the mini-grant money, he said: “Right now it’s just sitting in an account. Hopefully we’ll hit some of the organizations that applied for some of that money.”
Action News Jax Courtney Cole followed-up by asking what he thinks could be leading to the hold-up: “Quite honestly, I don’t think the Kids Hope Alliance, KHA, really know what-when-how the money should be used,” said Dennis.
Action News Jax Courtney Cole e-mailed the city and they were unable to answer to answer her questions regarding funding.
The spokeswoman referred her back to Kids Hope Alliance.
Tuesday afternoon, Action News Jax learned the KHA Board of Directors met on Oct. 1 to approve, what appears to be, a different process to apply for the "Stop the Violence" mini-grants.
They’re reconsidering the release of an RFP (request for proposal) and considering a grant application.
STORY: 19 children shot in Jacksonville in 2018, councilman talks about crime prevention following shooting
Once the application is finalized, it’s set to be available to both non-profit organizations and unincorporated community groups targeting youth violence prevention and intervention.
The organizations will still be able to apply for up to $10,000.
The application is expected to be available to the public by or before the end of the week.
Action News Jax Courtney Cole spoke to Loutrica Gibbs-Tolbert, the founder of Die-Rections, Inc., who fears she may never actually see the $10,000 she applied for in September.
“Here we are not being funded once again,” said Loutricia Gibbs-Tolbert.
She’s the founder of Die-Rections, Inc., a local, non-profit designed to equip young adults with the tools designed to keep them out of the cycle of incarceration.
Action News Jax first introduced you to her in August, when city leaders gathered grassroots organizations together to discuss finding a way to get them more money.
Gibbs-Tolbert says there was a follow-up meeting on Sept. 10.
“They told us if we respond by the 21st, we will be able to get the funds dispersed by the 1st of October,” said Gibbs-Tolbert.
She said, as of Tuesday October 2nd, she hadn’t received any funds or even an explanation. “I’ve talked to several organizations that I know applied and none of the grassroots organizations, the boots on the ground-- have received funding as of today,” Gibbs-Tolbert said.
She told Action News Jax she called Kids Hope Alliance, Councilman Reggie Gaffney, and Mayor Lenny Curry’s Office.
“At this point, no one has returned a phone or heard back from anyone else.”
Action News Jax is working to learn why KHA decided to change the application process and how this will affect the organizations that have already applied.