Columbus Councilors question crime prevention grants. Here’s the list of awards for $750K
After more than one hour of debate during last week’s meeting, the Columbus Council unanimously approved 45 requests for crime prevention grants totaling $750,000.
Since 2010, the grants have come from the annual recommendations by the seven-member Columbus Crime Prevention Board, which is appointed by the mayor and 10 councilors. A few of the councilors questioned the process of this year’s grants during the Aug. 8 meeting.
Councilor Charmaine Crabb of District 5 asked to delay the vote one month to fill the board’s one-member vacancy and add a representative from the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office in addition to the member from Columbus Police Department already on the board.
Crabb’s motion failed by one vote shy of the minimum six needed for passage. Voting for the measure along with her were councilors Glenn Davis of District 2, Toyia Tucker of District 4, JoAnne Cogle of District 7 and Judy Thomas (citywide). Councilor Pops Barnes of District 1 was absent.
Davis voiced concern about the increase in the number of organizations receiving crime prevention grants, which has more than doubled from 20 grants totaling $732,000 in 2015. Last year, 38 grants totaled $750,000.
“The more people you reach out to,” he said, “there’s going to be more questions.”
Davis also voiced concern about many of the grant requests indicating all or some of the money would pay for personnel in those organizations.
Seth Brown, the city’s crime prevention director, said the personnel in the grant requests are the “educators dealing with those individuals” and not the “executive staff or any administrative costs.”
Tucker complained the councilors received the board’s recommendations and supporting material for the 45 applications only one week before they were expected to vote.
“That’s a bit much for us,” she said. “… When you break it down, it helps us explain to the citizens who are asking us questions. … I’ve heard the city is a cash cow, a slush fund, that this is a money grab.”
The board recommended and the council approved grants for 45 of the 47 applicants. The total amount of requested money this year was $2.5 million.
Columbus crime prevention grants: approved applications
180 Degree Project: requested $17,644; granted $10,000 for supplies to honor Muscogee County School District students who overcome struggles to improve.
Better Work: requested $65,000; granted $20,000 to fund personnel in program that teaches participants job skills and provides meals and childcare during class time.
Big Brothers Big Sisters: requested $120,000; granted $10,000 to fund personnel for mentoring program.
Boys & Girls Clubs: requested $32,500; granted $10,000 to fund case manager for delinquency prevention initiative.
Boyz 2 Men: requested $45,000; granted $25,000 to fund supplies and personnel for mentoring and educational enrichment program.
Building Toward Wellness Community Coalition: requested $27,061; granted $15,000 to fund personnel and supplies for program helping adults who work with children identify signs of sexual abuse.
Children 1st: requested $20,000; granted $10,000 to fund supplies and personnel for year-round mentoring and summer enrichment programs.
Clement Arts: requested $31,053; granted $15,000 to fund personnel for program that supports families in crisis and foster families and helps foster children become adopted.
Columbus Community Center: requested $31,000; granted $30,000 to fund personnel for after school care, mentoring and tutoring programs.
Columbus Community Orchestra: requested $5,000; granted $5,000 to fund supplies for program offering the experience of live symphonic music.
Columbus Dream Center: requested $25,000; granted $20,000 to fund supplies and personnel for programs that provide families with food, clothing, hygiene, hair care, case management and youth activities.
Columbus Museum: requested $11,518; granted $10,000 to fund equipment and supplies for bringing museum programming to three Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice sites in Muscogee County.
Columbus Scholars: requested $20,700; granted $10,000 to fund coordinator position for program helping economically disadvantaged youth graduate from high school and college by providing mentoring, enrichment, SAT/ACT prep, financial aid and scholarships.
Columbus Regional Tennis Association: requested $41,293; granted $20,000 to fund instruction in TennisWorks program, using tennis to teach life skills to underserved and at-risk youth.
Columbus Symphony Orchestra: requested $20,000; granted $5,000 to fund personnel for Making Music Matters program that provides instrumental instruction to economically disadvantaged students.
Columbus Technical College: requested $427,000; granted $35,000 to fund personnel teaching job skills to prison inmates, adults seeking high school equivalency diploma and at-risk youth.
East Carver Heights and Boxwood Ministries: requested $25,000; granted $20,000 for soccer, tutoring, mentoring and food programs.
Emmanual Prep: requested $20,000; granted $5,000 for supplying curriculum and programs providing early intervention to prevent criminal involvement among at-risk youth.
Flourishing Ladies: requested $75,000; granted $35,000 to fund personnel for program helping female students with discipline problems.
Focus Program: requested $40,000; granted $30,000 to fund equipment, training, supplies, travel and personnel for mentoring program that teaches life skills through basketball and chess.
Girls Inc.: requested $50,000; granted $10,000 to fund personnel for programs helping girls be healthy, educated and independent.
Hope Harbor: requested $15,000; granted $15,000 to fund community outreach program providing crisis intervention and support services for victims of domestic violence.
Legitimation Station: requested $17,000; granted $15,000 to fund supplies for program helping fathers establish legal relationships with their children born out of wedlock.
Lifebridge: requested $65,000; granted $20,000 to fund equipment, programming, supplies and personnel for New Birth Outreach Church’s community of care, court advocacy for abused or neglect children and mentoring for foster teens and at-ris.
Literacy Alliance: requested $30,000; granted $20,000 for adult literacy program.
Micah’s Promise: requested $78,000; granted $20,000 for personnel and supplies to fight child sex trafficking.
Neighborhoods Focused on African American Youth: requested $192,539; granted $20,000 to fund personnel, supplies, workbooks and curriculum for mentoring, tutoring and parenting programs in public housing complexes.
Omega Lambda: requested $50,000; granted $25,000 to fund personnel, supplies, travel and marketing for program helping economically disadvantaged youth in high-crime areas to graduate from high school and college by providing mentoring, enrichment, SAT/ACT prep and school visits.
Open Door Community House: requested $20,000; granted $15,000 to fund curriculum for afterschool and summer youth program focused on academic and social development.
Overflo Outreach Ministries: requested $61,145; granted $15,000 to fund supplies, printing and marketing for mentoring at-risk youth through cosmetology training.
Protégé Project: requested $32,000; granted $10,000 to fund personnel, equipment and supplies for mentoring and tutoring at-risk youth.
REACH: requested $100,000; granted $15,000 for Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen program that provides mentoring, academic coaching and scholarships.
Right from the Start: requested $45,000; granted $15,000 to fund supplies and personnel for program that teaches patterns and skills that support a healthy family life.
Second Chance: requested $150,000; granted $50,000 to fund personnel for program helping students with discipline problems by creating alternative solutions to suspension from school.
Service for Humanity: requested $31,725; granted $10,000 to fund supplies for Sigma Beta program helping boys learn nonviolent options for their behavior.
STEAM Expo: requested $85,000; granted $10,000 to fund supplies for youth college and career expo for students in grades 4-12 from low-to-moderate income families to learn about opportunities in the STEAM subjects of science, technology, engineering, arts and math
STEAM Race: requested $50,000; granted $10,000 to fund personnel for program providing children ages 7-17 to build soap box race cars and race them while learning critical thinking, problem solving and teamwork.
Truth Spring: requested $50,000; granted $25,000 to fund personnel for trade school helping North Highland residents rebuild their community.
Turn Around Columbus: requested $35,492; granted $25,000 to fund personnel and supplies for victory garden afterschool program.
Whole Person Ministries: requested $54,900; granted $10,000 to fund supplies for Men Act This Way program to shape character and maximize young men’s academic and social potential to become productive citizens.
Wright Fitness: requested $18,148; granted $10,000 to fund program that pays for membership in Wright Way Boxing Club for youth in high crime and poverty areas, specifically the Warren Williams and Wilson public housing complexes.
YMCA: requested $18,000; granted $10,000 to fund personnel for after school and weekend programming to help students set and pursue post secondary educational and career goals.
Young Life: requested $20,000; granted $15,000 to fund personnel for mentoring of students and alumni of Carver, Jordan and Hardaway high schools to reduce truancy, drug use, pregnancy and delinquency.
Columbus crime prevention grants: unapproved applications
Empowered Youth of Columbus: requested $96,991
MidTown: requested $17,500
How to apply for a Columbus crime prevention grant
To apply for a Columbus crime prevention grant, submit an application by filling out the online form at the crime prevention board’s page on the Columbus Consolidated Government’s website.
The deadline to apply for each year’s allotment of funding is March 31.
Columbus crime prevention grant selection process
After the crime prevention director ensures the applications have all the required elements, they are sent to the board members. They spend several months evaluating the applications and interviewing the applicants. The board then decides which applications to submit to Columbus Council for approval.
Columbus Crime Prevention Board members
Danny Arencibia (chairman), appointed by the mayor
Angela Vickers, education representative, appointed by the mayor
Rocky Marsh, Fort Moore representative, appointed by the mayor 3 years
Assistant Police Chief Joyce Dent-Fitzpatrick, public safety representative, appointed by the mayor
Lane Jimmerson, appointed by Columbus Council
Marcus Gibson, appointed by Columbus Council
Vacant, due to the death of Patricia Flora, appointed by Columbus Council.
