Transforming Safety

Supporting community development through small business loans and grants

The Denver Foundation is pleased to invite qualified organizations to apply for funding from the Transforming Safety project. The project invests in North Aurora and Southeast Colorado Springs to support community development through small business loans and grant programs. The project uses a new safety framework that focuses on preventing crime.

Transforming Safety has its own website, which contains extensive information on the background and purpose of the grant and loan programs, and the composition and work of the local planning teams. This funding opportunity is by invitation only.

Each community will receive $1.29 million each year in grant funds for three years.

ELIGIBILITY

• Your organization must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, local government, or school (public, private, charter).
• Applicants must serve within the following geographic boundaries:

For North Aurora

• Northern Boundary: Aurora City line
• Eastern Boundary: Interstate 225
• Southern Boundary: 6th Ave.
• Western Boundary: Aurora City line

For Southeast Colorado Springs

• Northern Boundary:  Platte Ave.
• Eastern Boundary:  South Powers Blvd.
• Southern Boundary:  Milton Proby Pkwy. to South Academy Blvd. to Interstate 25
• Western Boundary:  Nevada to East Fountain Blvd. to Wahsatch Ave.

• Your work must connect with one or more of the following priorities to apply for a Transforming Safety grant:

For North Aurora

1. Support adults and youth who are or have been involved in the criminal justice system in order to reduce recidivism or incidence of reoffending.
2. Help youth (up to age 25) develop the skills and resilience to avoid, reduce, or stop high-risk behaviors that can lead to involvement with the criminal justice system.
3. Reduce or /prevent a crime affecting the most vulnerable people in the North Aurora community, with a particular focus on people experiencing homelessness, immigrants, victims of sexual assault, and victims of sex trafficking.
4. Increase academic achievement by reducing rates of school suspension, expulsion, and referrals to law enforcement, with a particular emphasis on students of color.

For Southeast Colorado Springs

1. Support adults and youth who are or have been involved in the criminal justice system in order to reduce recidivism or incidence of reoffending.
2. Help youth (up to age 25) develop the skills and resilience to avoid, reduce, or stop high-risk behaviors that can lead to involvement with the criminal justice system.
3. Address systemic causes of economic, racial, and academic disparities.
4. Improve community-based support to reduce violence and neglect in families.

Grant awards given in previous years are no guarantee of future grant awards.

Not eligible for funding:

• Capital campaigns
• Building endowments or reserve funds
• Membership campaigns
• Special events, sponsorships
• Retroactive funding (projects that will be completed before funding becomes available)
• Debt retirement
• Grants to individuals
• Multi-year funding requests
• Conferences, symposia, and related travel
• Grants that further political doctrine or religious activities. Transforming Safety grants can be made to religious organizations. Funds cannot be used to proselytize, evangelize, or otherwise attempt to spread a particular religious belief. This includes requiring program participants to participate in religious services or activities

Additional information

Grants Program Areas

The Transforming Safety legislation created four broad areas for the grants program. These were based on research about how to make communities safer.

1. 1. Academic Achievement
   2. Community-Based Direct Services
   3. Neighborhood Connections
   4. Increasing the Safety and Usability of Common Outdoor Spaces