Weed and Seed grants available

Posted by on April 2, 2004

The Department of Justice is proud to announce the following grant program that is available to faith-based and community-based organizations:

Weed and Seed Program

The Weed and Seed Program is administered by the Department’s Executive Office of Weed and Seed (EOWS). The Weed and Seed program strategy involves local law enforcement efforts to "weed out" criminal activity in neighborhoods and then, working with local community groups, to "seed" the local community with positive programs that will improve the lives of those living in the area.

Every local Weed and Seed program has a Steering Committee consisting of local law enforcement leadership along with various members of local communities. Faith-based and community-based organizations are encouraged to contact their local Police Chief, Sheriff, or District Attorney, to offer their help in serving on the Steering Committee and in becoming part of the solution to local problems.

To further encourage the involvement of faith-based and community-based organizations in these local programs, the Department of Justice is offering incentive grants of up to $50,000 each to continuing Weed and Seed sites for the purpose of expanding its program capacity. This added capability allows for faith-based and community-based organizations to become sub-grantees for this funding. The type of activities covered by this grant money include drug and alcohol treatment; anti-gang activities; offender re-entry mentoring; tutoring; job preparedness training; after-school recreational activities; homeless shelters; and anti-truancy activities.

This extra emphasis area is intended to provide resources to small groups that have not previously received Federal funding. Faith-based organizations interested in helping to provide these types of services should contact their local Weed and Seed officials to express their interest in a partnership. Local groups wishing to apply for these sub-grants will have to be certified by the local law enforcement officials that administer the grant program.

There will be two offerings of this special grant program in FY 2004. The Application Deadline for the first offering will be April 29, 2004 and the second will be May 27, 2004. Interested applicants should contact their local officials to determine if the program will be available in their area.

For further information on this grant opportunity, please contact Faith Baker, Executive Office of Weed and Seed, 810 Seventh Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20531, (202) 616-1152, Fax (202) 616-1159, E-mail: faith.baker@usdoj.gov.