Complete RFP documents may be found in the attached documents. The Contact information for questions about this RFP is Doug Mathews: dmatthews@grand-rapids.mi.us
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Participatory Budgeting: Community-Based Violence Reduction for the Third Ward
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The COVID 19 pandemic has had long lasting effects, including psychological distress and economic strain. It has led to a spike in the number of mental health cases due to anxiety and stress levels, reduced access to support services, and caused a disruption in community programs and services. Due to these effects, underserved communities have experienced “significantly greater increase in firearm violence, homicides and assaults compared to more affluent, white neighborhoods” as reported by the Violence Prevention Research Program at UC Davis.
To help address this concern the City of Grand Rapids seeks a qualified person, organization, or firm to develop and implement Community-Centered Violence Reduction Strategies focused on neighborhoods in the Third Ward. The goal of the initiative is to support creative, evidence-based strategies that will realize measurable impacts on rates and incidents of actual violence with a focus on diversion and avoidance. This could include:
- Partnering with existing community organizations to identify specific neighborhood needs around crime reduction and access to resources, and how these needs can be addressed.
- Creating or strengthening programs that foster empowerment and connectivity among neighbors and neighborhood organizations to reduce incidents of violence.
- Training community members and neighborhood organizations about violence reduction strategies and implementation.
- Providing intervention or diversion programs for those most at-risk of committing violence.
- Partnering with existing initiatives or social services to provide connection to resources, organizations that can provide basic needs, or services that can minimize the likelihood of police or CPS intervention.
Statewide