On Wednesday, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb unveiled a $10 million Neighborhood Safety Fund in an effort to curb violence across the city.
The goal of the fund, which Bibb said is among the first-of-its-kind in the country, is to create long-term, perpetual support for community-driven programming to address the root causes of violence, from education to mentorship, the mayor said.
"We can’t solve it alone here at City Hall," Bibb said at the press conference, flanked by members of Cleveland City Council, his administration and various neighborhood leaders at the Frederick Douglass Neighborhood Recreation and Resource Center. "I believe this first-of-its-kind fund in the nation will really show, not just Cleveland, but the country how to come together as a collective of real support, real alignment, real data-driven collaboration of how to make the right investments in our neighborhoods."
The announcement comes after city leaders struggled to respond to a wave of summer violence city leaders have called "unprecedented." Violence in Cleveland burst into the public eye after nine people were injured in a mass shooting on West 6th Street Downtown in July. While that shooting, which made national news, was the most high-profile act of violence in the city this year, many residents have reported feelings of living under the threat of growing brutality.
So far this year, 129 people have died by homicide in Cleveland, police data show. The majority, more than 82%, were Black. That is similar to the number of homicides the city has experienced through week 40 in the past three years. Since 2020, there have been between 117 and 131 homicides by this time each year, according to police.
During May, June and July the number of people killed exceeded the seven-year monthly average, according to police figures. But the number of homicides has dipped below average in August and September.
The city expects the endowment fund will generate $13 million in grantmaking over the next 25 years. It plans to roll out at least $1 million in grants per year for the first few years.
The first round of applications opens on October 9. Organizations will have until November 15 to apply for the first $1 million, which will be dispersed between December 2023 and December 2024. After that, the city says it plans to open applications twice a year.
A nine-person advisory committee, which includes three members of City Council, three city officials and three community members, will review the proposals. The Cleveland Foundation will administer the grants.
Among the community members on the committee is 20-year-old Tre'Vonte Roey. He said he's excited to serve in his new role and "give back" to the community. Roey participated in the Hoops After Dark program, an eight-week basketball league hosted in partnership between the city and the Cleveland Cavaliers. It's an example of what he said can help young people in the city.
"It was a program that used sports to bring people together, but it wasn't just about sports," he said, citing job fairs and mentorship opportunities. "The mentors kept me on the right path... I really appreciate them for that."
The $10 million in seed money comes from the American Rescue Plan Act, a federal stimulus package given to cities recovering from the pandemic that must be allocated by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026.
