(Washington, DC) – Today, the Bowser Administration announced 25 awardees of the City Innovation Fund’s Safer, Stronger DC Community Opportunity Grant Competition. The grants, which total $1.2 million, are part of Mayor Bowser’s Safer, Stronger DC initiative.
 
“By working together with community organizations to take a smart, holistic approach to public safety, we are building on our progress and providing more Washingtonians and neighborhoods the opportunities and resources they need to thrive,” said Mayor Bowser. 
 
The 25 organizations were selected through an independent grant-making process managed by the Greater Washington Community Foundation. Selected organizations serve children, youth, and families in the following selected priority Police Service Areas (PSA): 302, 304, 305, 404, 506, 507, 602, 603, 604, 702, 704, 705 and 706. These PSAs encompass the neighborhoods of Columbia Heights, Brightwood Park, Trinidad, Carver/Langston, Deanwood/Lincoln Heights, Fort Dupont, Benning Ridge/Marshall Heights, Fort Stanton/Garfield Heights/Woodland, Douglass, Congress Heights, and Washington Highlands. The grant period is for one year.
  
“These general operating grants will help build and enhance the internal capacity and operations of community organizations doing critical work in our neighborhoods with some of the hardest to reach and most at-risk residents,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services HyeSook Chung.
 
In all, 106 organizations applied for funding this round. This year, the Bowser Administration continued to offer technical assistance with the grant process through a partnership with Project 500. Project 500 is a business development program to help diverse businesses and nonprofits scale in terms of revenue, staff, and investment retained. 
 
“This final slate of City Innovation Fund grantees represents the diversity and complexity of issues facing our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Bruce McNamer, President and CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. “These organizations have demonstrated their capacity and commitment to providing access, equity and opportunity to all. The Community Foundation will continue to support the District of Columbia Government in its efforts to ensure that all residents benefit from the city’s economic growth and prosperity.”
 
The following organizations are being awarded grants:
 
Access Inc.
College Tribe
Community Services Agency of the Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO
D.C. Law Students in Court Program, Inc.
D.C. Creative Writing Workshop, Inc.
Do the Write Thing Foundation of DC
Excel Automotive Institute
Exodus Treatment Center, Inc.
GALA Hispanic Theatre
Generation Hope
Good Projects
Healthy Babies Project, Inc.
Innercity Collaborative Community Development Corporation on behalf of Saving our Next Generation (SONG)
Jah Kente International
Just 4 Us Foundation, Inc.
Latin American Youth Center 
Metro DC Community Center DBA Latino Queer Bilingual Writing Group
My Sister’s Place
Nomis Youth Network
One Common Unity
Sasha Bruce Youthwork Inc.
Schooltalk Inc.
Teens Run DC
Urban Ed, Inc.
Young Ladies of Tomorrow
 
“We are extremely grateful to receive this grant award,” said Pastor Gary Hill, Executive Director of Exodus Treatment Center, Inc. “The Woodland Terrace community has suffered more than its fair share of violent crime and related trauma. We serve as a safe haven of opportunity. Our programming mitigates idle time by providing productive and supervised training and activities for the community. This grant will provide the necessary resources to increase and build capacity for our pre-apprentice program.”  
 
The disbursement of grant payments is contingent on organizations successfully satisfying all District of Columbia business and tax requirements.