Community crime prevention and reduction groups can tap into a new $5.2 million government fund.
Justice Minister Tyler Shandro announced the Alberta Crime Prevention grant on Wednesday at a news conference in Calgary. The program makes more than $5 million in grants available over two years for initiatives or projects aimed at reducing domestic violence, youth outreach, as well as providing financial help to train and pay for staff in crime prevention organizations.
Eligible not-for-profit groups or charities can receive $25,000 to $150,000 annually for their initiatives. Groups must apply for a grant by Sept. 30.
Jean Bota, chair of the Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association, said successful crime prevention requires the government, communities and police working together.
The money will be welcomed by community organizations, which are often funded solely through private donations and other fundraising activities.
Bota, who lives in Red Deer County and was a former county councillor, said at the news conference that “when communities are engaged, connected and empowered we have sustainable communities, where everyone feels safe, they have a sense of belonging and there is access to services.
“Albertans need and deserve to feel safe in their homes and their communities and a good crime prevention initiative ensures that the community is a focal point …”
Central Alberta Crime Prevention Centre executive director TerryLee Ropchan said she was pleased to see that money will be available for just the sort of initiatives her group undertakes.
“I think we’ll definitely be putting in an application,” said Ropchan, who oversees three full-time and two part-time staff, as well as four summer students who will soon be finished.
The funding could help the centre to promote its Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design work, which provides property owners with advice on how to make their properties safer, often with only simple changes to landscaping or layout.
“I think there’s a lot of opportunity to look at our properties and how we can enhance safety by the way we design it,” she said.
Graffiti abatement is another area where additional funding could help get the message out to the community about what resources are available, such as the cleaning products the centre has for sale.
The centre got about $160,000 in funding from the city this year, which covers about half of its budget. Fundraising events, such as the recent garage sale, donations and sponsorships cover the rest.
“We get a lot of support from the community,” she said.
The funding will help groups, such as Crime Stoppers, continue their work, said Mark Gerlitz, a director with Calgary Crime Stoppers.
Gerlitz said the organization came close to folding this year because of a lack of funding.
“The economic downturn that started in 2015 and was closely followed by COVID-19 and record inflation have posed significant challenges for organizations like Crime Stoppers, both in terms of raising funds and the ability to attract volunteers,” he said at the news conference.
“Without government funding some of these organizations might not be around next year.”
For the first time this year, the provincial government has provided funding to the group, which is now in position to continue their work for the next several years.