Title:  Crime Prevention through Safer Streets Grant Program

Overview

The Crime Prevention through Safer Streets Grant Program is a funding opportunity offered through the Office of Adult and Juvenile Assistance (OAJJA).

The goal of the Crime Prevention through Safer Streets Grant Program is to allow the department and local governments to evaluate and design safer streets and neighborhood models that discourage crime, revitalize community image, and establish place-specific crime prevention strategies that account for geographic, cultural, economic, and social characteristics of the target areas. 

Resource:  SB22-001 Crime Prevention through Safer Streets Utilizing Design Management Strategies

Project Application DEADLINE: March 1, 2024

About the Funding Agency: 

The mission of the Division of Criminal Justice is to improve the public safety of the community, the quality of services to crime victims, and the effectiveness of services to offenders. We accomplish this by analyzing policy, conducting criminal justice research, managing programs, and administering grants.

Program Description

Purpose of the Funds

Statutory Authority

C.R.S. 24-33.5-117. Crime prevention through safer streets grant program

Eligible Activities

The grant may be used for improvements designed to decrease the incidence of crime and create safer streets.  Such improvements may include:

• Better lighting
• Improved trash collection
• Access control
• Territorial reinforcement
• Improved space management
• Other improvements designed to decrease the incidence of crime and create safer streets

Required Application Components

All grant applications must address all of the following:

• The target area and crime challenge the applicant hopes to address
• Data regarding the incidence of crime in the target area, disaggregated by the type of crime, and demographic data
• The specific projects the grant would fund
• Measurable or observable goals to decrease the incidence of crime, disaggregated by the type of crime
• Details on how the applicant has collaborated with communities and other agencies in developing the improvements to be funded under the application
• Details on how the plan would prevent the displacement of homeless populations and harm to communities of color and vulnerable populations

Planning Time

The purpose of the Safer Streets grant program is to provide an opportunity for local jurisdictions to:  

• Objectively determine areas or locations experiencing high levels or patterns of criminal activity;
• Involve local officials and community members in collaborative discussions regarding this criminal activity and actions that might be taken to reduce the likelihood of future crime;
• Collaboratively develop environmentally-focused crime prevention strategies and identify potential actions that can be taken to improve public safety and community well-being;
• Allow jurisdictions to seek grant funds to implement actions associated with their environmentally-focused crime reduction strategies.

Communities will need time to develop a project and application. To allow for adequate  planning time, applications are due March 1, 2024. In addition, DCJ has developed some resources that may assist you during the planning time. 

1. An outline of actions that may be useful as you move through the planning process is described below. These are suggested but not required to be followed.
2. This link provides a more in-depth planning assessment.
3. The Division of Criminal Justice has contracted with a vendor to provide technical assistance and is subject to available funds. The amount of the TA available is determined by the scope of the request and the feasibility within the timeline of the open solicitation.  You can apply for technical assistance by submitting the Technical Assistance Request Form accessible at https://dcj.jotform.com/232896778874886. Technical assistance is on a first come, first serve basis until the appropriation is exhausted. 

For questions regarding technical assistance, contact Anna Lopez at anna.lopez@state.co.us. 

10 ACTION ITEMS ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPING A PROPOSAL

1. BACKGROUND: Review the Safer Streets grant announcement and relevant legislation to understand the purpose, expectations, and requirements of this grant program.
2. BACKGROUND: Gain an understanding of the “crime prevention through environmental design” concept.
3. IDENTIFY MEMBERS: This project requires collaboration between local officials and community stakeholders.  Identify the individuals who will be involved in the project.
4. GATHER AND REVIEW DATA: Relevant data must be gathered and analyzed to identify crime patterns, types of crime being committed, and the locations of criminal activity.
5. CREATE A COLLABORATIVE TEAM:  A collaborative team must be formed to make determinations regarding potential target areas; a structure for conducting these team meetings should be created.
6. IDENTIFY TARGET AREAS:  The collaborative team, after considering data and community perspectives, should determine specific areas or “targets” that will be the focus of potential actions.
7. IDENTIFY OPTIONS FOR REDUCING CRIME:  Possible solutions, consistent with CPTED principles, should be considered, analyzed and approved for action.
8. CONSIDER IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY:  Contemplated actions must take into account community perspectives, the cultural, economic, and social characteristics of the potentially impacted community, and must not adversely impact homeless populations, communities of color, or vulnerable individuals.
9. CREATE A PROPOSAL:  A grant proposal, with a requested budget, should be developed, reviewed, approved, and submitted.
10. IDENTIFY PERFORMANCE MEASURES:  A plan should be developed to capture relevant data so that changes, impacts, or outcomes of this effort can be determined.