“Violence flourishes in communities where many people have been stripped of the social supports and opportunities that they need to thrive and where expectations of personal security and a meaningful future have been systematically thwarted or still-born.” (Currier, Elliot. A Peculiar Indifference: The Neglected Toll of Violence on Black America. Metropolitan Books, 2020; 176-77.) Connecting young people to positive networks and engaging them in opportunities associated with personal, community and social development can begin the process of dismantling barriers to success, expanding perceptions of what is possible, and focusing on community strengths and assets. (Currier, 219-222)
The City of Knoxville is seeking to partner with non-profit and community-based organizations, including smaller organizations, who are providing high-quality summer youth programming and/or summer youth employment in Knoxville and are willing to provide placements for local young people who are specifically identified as being at high-risk of violent crime (referred to as “Opportunity Youth”).
The City of Knoxville has funding available in the round of grants to be awarded beginning in June 2021 for programming and support carried out between June - September 2021. Awards may range between $3,000 - $20,000 and shall specifically support programming, stipends, payment, or other services directly for the Opportunity Youth engaged in programming.
This is a competitive process. Some applications may not be funded, and some may be only partially funded.
Applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 1, 2021.
Documentation for effectiveness of efforts must be submitted at the midpoint and end of the grant cycle.
Please read this entire document before you start filling out your Application. If you have a question or need help understanding these Guidelines or the Application, call Kathy Mack in the Office of Community Empowerment at 865-215-2113. We are here to help you!
| 1. Deadline for Applications |
Applications must be received via mail, email, or in person no later than
4:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 1, 2021. No applications will be accepted beyond this deadline.
Please submit all applications to Kathy Mack:
•
By email:
[email protected]
•
In person or by Mail: City County Building, Suite 532M, 400 Main Street, Knoxville
If you wish to have someone in the Office of Community Empowerment review your application for completeness, please do so by having your application to the office no later than 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 26, 2021.
Any applications that are received by 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 1, 2021, or that do
not have all of the correct paperwork, will not move on to the Grant Committee. Late applications will not be accepted. No applications by fax, please.
To receive funding, an applicant group must be a nonprofit organization with tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status or have made arrangements for a Fiscal Sponsor. (See Fiscal Sponsor section in this document.)
A group cannot discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, or disability when carrying out any aspect of the funded project.
Funds generally will be distributed in two payments, with the first payment of up to 50% of total grant amount able to be paid up-front upon execution of grant agreement. Payment of the balance of grant awards will be authorized following submission and approval of a Mid-Project report. The City reserves the right to hold a portion of final grant funding until after submission and approval of an End-Project report.
Checking Account
To receive funding directly from the City, a group must have a checking account prior to receiving the first check. However, if you use a Fiscal Sponsor, you may not need a checking account depending on how your Fiscal Sponsor handles your receipts and invoices. It is not necessary to possess a checking account at the time you submit an application.
Fiscal Sponsorship
Grants can be made only to tax-exempt organizations with 501(c)(3) status.
If a group has a 501(c)(3) determination letter from and is in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), that group can receive funding directly from the City. A W-9 form will be requested in order to provide funding if the City does not already have one from your organization. Each application must include a copy of their IRS Designation Letter, verifying your group’s official non-profit status, and a copy of the organization’s most recent annual report/budget.
Organizations without such tax-exempt status may receive support by partnering with a tax-exempt organization willing to serve as the organization’s fiscal sponsor consistent with applicable law. Funds are dispersed to that sponsor, which then provides the funds to the neighborhood group. You may partner with a fiscal sponsor of your choosing. You will be responsible for setting this up on your own.
Please Note: By law, churches and other religious organizations may not serve as fiscal sponsors for taxpayer-funded grants.
Funds must be used to support programming that serves young people (ages 12-21) who are specifically selected due to being at high risk of becoming a victim of violent crime or perpetrating violent crime. For this program, these young people are referred to as “Opportunity Youth,” a term that is further explained
here.
Additional considerations to help identify Opportunity Youth could include:
• Member of or associated with an active crew/group/gang
• Juvenile or Criminal system involvement
• Disconnected from school, work or consistent participation in community-based programs/services
• Previous violent crime victim
• Close friend or family member who was shot in the last year
These funds are not designed to support organizations in providing new programming for Summer 2021; rather, funds are designed to supplement existing programming in such a way that it can directly support Opportunity Youth who may not otherwise be interested in or able to participate in such programming.
No less than 80% of grant funds shall be used to directly support Opportunity Youth engaged in summer programming.
Examples include:
• Stipends or hourly wages for participating Opportunity Youth
• Programming needs (examples: materials, food/non-alcoholic drinks, supplies, fees, etc.) associated with serving participating Opportunity Youth as part of a larger summer program
•
Supportive services for participating Opportunity Youth that enable participation in the group's summer programming (examples: transportation, uniforms, specialized training, etc.)
Up to 20% of total grant funds may be used for broader organization or programmatic administrative expenses that do not directly support participating Opportunity Youth, including staffing.
When completing the required Budget Form, applicants should estimate the actual costs of supplies, services, and other costs that are expected to be needed to support Opportunity Youth during the summer of 2021.
The City anticipates paying 50% of funds to approved grantees “up-front” upon approval of funding by Knoxville City Council. The remaining funds will be issued following successful completion and acceptance of required Mid-Project Reports and, if applicable, End-Project Reports.
| 4. Program Requirements / Reporting |
The Office of Community Empowerment will monitor funded projects carefully and will require an exact accounting of how all funds are spent. Funded organizations will need to provide no fewer than 3 dates during the summer when City staff may observe funded programs in action.
Funded organizations will have to file two reports. The first, a Mid-Project Report, due no later than July 19, 2021, will be required before the second portion of funds can be received. An End-Project Report will be due no later than October 31, 2021.
Both reports must be accompanied by receipts for all expenditures. Failure to provide these reports and receipts in a timely manner will result in the organization’s suspension from future consideration for funding and can, in the case of Mid-Project Reports, delay or prevent disbursement of full funding.
In addition, funded partners will need to complete and submit monthly Data Demographic Sheets. These forms will be provided by the City and must be turned in monthly.
| 5. Organizational Engagement |
A goal of this pilot grant program is to strengthen collaboration with and between the City of Knoxville and local organizations providing programming that advances Violence Interruption objectives. At least one representative from each funded organization will be required to participate in the Mayor’s Community Empowerment Roundtable for at least 6 months during the summer and 2021-22 Knox County School year. Funded organizations should also expect to share quantitative and qualitative outcomes from the Summer Youth Violence Prevention Grant Program Pilot with the Roundtable.
The City’s Office of Community Empowerment will facilitate bi-weekly convenings intended to engage and support Opportunity Youth participating in grant-funded programming across the City. Funded organizations will need to assist participating Opportunity Youth in attending and participating in these gatherings, and should designate at least one representative who can attend these covenings alongside participating youth. Some exceptions may be granted on an as-needed basis by working with Kathy Mack.
Tentative dates and times for these engagement convenings are:
•
June 11, 2021: Service Day
•
June 25, 2021: Service Day
•
July 2, 2021: Service Day
•
July 16, 2021: Service Day
•
August 13, 2021: Service Day
•
August 27, 2021: Service Day
•
September 3, 2021: Service Day
•
September 17, 2021: Connection Corner
At the end of the summer, the City’s Office of Community Empowerment will host a Connection Corner to help young people connect with different organizations who can continue to support them in various ways during the school year. Funded organizations should expect to participate and share information at this event. The tentative date and time for Connection Corner is September 17, 2021.
Funded entities will be required to enter into an agreement with the City of Knoxville that includes the following requirements:
1. Comply with the following ethical standards prescribed by the
Knoxville City Code:
(A) Sec. 2-1048. Conflict of Interest;
(B) Sec. 2-1049. Receipt of Benefits from City Contracts by Councilmembers, Employees and Officers of the City;
(C) Sec. 2-1050. Gratuities and Kickbacks Prohibited;
(D) Sec. 2-1051. Covenant Relating to Contingent Fees; and
(E) Sec. 2-1052. Restrictions on Employment of Present and Former City Employees
2. Comply with all applicable requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. (“ADA”).
3. Not discriminate against any participant, employee, or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, familial status, or national origin.
4. Take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, familial status, or national origin.
5. State in all solicitations or advertisements for employees that all qualified applicants shall receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, familial status, or national origin.
6. Include these same Non-Discrimination provisions (#2, 3, 4, and 5 above) are included in subcontracts, subleases, etc. relevant to funded work.
7. Religious organizations receiving funding under this program may not utilize grant funds to engage in any of the following activities:
(A) Perform inherently religious activities such as worship, religious instruction, or proselytization;
(B) Acquire, construct, or rehabilitate structures or properties that shall be used for inherently religious activities, including sanctuaries and chapels; and
(C) Discriminate against any beneficiary or prospective beneficiary of the grant on the basis of religion or belief
8. Agree to indemnify/hold harmless terms standard to City agreements.
9. Subject to the Risk Manager’s determination, hold general liability insurance coverage with a minimum of $1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate coverage.
For applicants proposing to work with work with minors, grantees shall maintain sexual abuse and molestation coverage at limits equal to or greater than the required commercial general liability limits.
(Note that sexual abuse and molestation is a standard exclusion in commercial general liability insurance policies. If an entity will be working with minors on the City’s behalf or as part of a City program, insurance for sexual abuse and molestation will be required. While not automatically covered under the commercial general liability policy, some carriers will add coverage by endorsement for an additional premium. A separate policy covering this exposure can also be purchased.)
Grantees will need to furnish the City with original certificates and amendatory endorsements effecting coverage required by this document. Such endorsements will include, without limitation, additional insured and waiver of subrogation naming the City of Knoxville, its officials, officers, employees, and volunteers.