Required orientation for applicants for the Macon Violence Prevention grant program through the Community Foundation of Central Georgia (CFCG) is now open. The next online Zoom sessions will take place at 3:00 p.m. on March 2, and 11:00 a.m. on March 4. Applicants only need to attend one of these sessions. If an applicant needs to attend at a later date, the sessions will be recorded and available from March 7 through March 31. Interested parties, once they complete the orientation, may apply for the grant anytime before the deadline, April 4, 2022 at noon.
“In an effort to support potential applicants, we wanted to be sure that we gave foundational knowledge of the overall mission of the MVP program,” says Darius Maynard, CFCG Program Officer. “We want people to know what they are applying to, what they should be applying for, and how the process will work in totality.”
Mayor Lester Miller and the CFCG held a press conference on February 28, to announce details, requirements, and the timeline of the process. You can view the application timeline and guidelines here. The press conference was live-streamed on the Macon-Bibb County Facebook page, and you can click here to watch it.
“Our mission since 1993, is to enhance the quality of life for people in Central Georgia,” says CFCG President Kathryn Dennis. “CFCG hopes local 501c3 and faith-based organizations will apply for funding for programs designed to stop crime before it starts. We’re looking for something permanent that’s going to create positive systemic change in our community.”
More than $2 million is being made available for local non-profits and faith-based organizations to implement programs or initiatives to help prevent and reduce violent crime. Grants will be awarded to programs that align with the community-led strategies/goals of the MVP Strategic Plan that was developed based on feedback from the community.
“We went to every neighborhood in Macon-Bibb and asked people what their biggest concerns were, how safe they felt, what was needed to stop violence, what resources were available, and who was willing to help,” says Mayor Lester Miller. “This work is central to everything we are doing, from Macon Mental Health Matters to our Blight Fight to supporting public safety officers to hiring violence interrupters. Now, we are engaging our neighborhoods to join us in fighting for our home.”