Safe in the 305 Grant Application

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

Public safety was the top priority for the more than 26,000 residents who responded to the Thrive305 survey, the largest public engagement initiative in the County’s history. In response to our residents’ concerns and a simultaneous uptick in gun violence, the Miami-Dade County Peace & Prosperity Plan (the “Plan”) was adopted with unanimous support from the Board of County Commissioners. The Plan commits proceeds over the course of 19 years from the renaming of the County-owned arena to strengthen the County’s community violence prevention and intervention infrastructure to reduce gun violence, promote safety and create thriving neighborhoods. The Plan is an ever-evolving, evidence-based, and best-practice driven strategy to address the underlying causes of gun violence and poverty in Miami-Dade County. It addresses the gun violence epidemic through a strategic prevention, intervention, and reentry approach with a focus on the neighborhoods most impacted, while tackling the social and economic disparities at the root of gun violence. Most importantly, the Plan embodies the core values of a Miami-Dade County that is inclusive and equitable and supports all residents to achieve their dream despite race, nationality, and economic status. The Safe in the 305 Grant Program is a microgrant initiative and component of the Miami- Peace & Prosperity Plan. Launched in June 2021, Safe in the 305 Grant allocated $50,000 to strengthen the County’s violence prevention infrastructure by requesting proposals and awarding microgrants to 32 residents and organizations to lead initiatives in their neighborhood in an effort to enhance their quality of life and safety. The program is administered by the Miami-Dade County Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS), an office created through the Peace & Prosperity Plan. ONS brings together residents, community stakeholders, and county residents to solve public safety and quality of life issues. The Office engages directly with historically disenfranchised communities to ensure they help guide decision-making and deliver innovative solutions to address gun violence, revitalize public spaces, improve community infrastructure, and minimize the need for residents to interact with the justice system. During the inaugural year, ONS partnered with Citizens for a Better South Florida, Inc., a local non-profit organization, to serve as the fiscal agent and provide technical assistance to funded residents and organizations.