In a close look at federal opportunities to promote community safety, LISC’s Nicole Barcliff explains why it is vital for policymakers to help build the capacity of nonprofit and community-based organizations that can bring together residents, law enforcement and other local stakeholders to mitigate crime spikes and fuel safer, stronger neighborhoods.
For more than two decades, LISC has supported safety and justice initiatives and community violence intervention (CVI) strategies as a cornerstone of equitable revitalization.
The communities where we channel investments are resilient, rich with talent and culture, and rife with possibility. Yet, many struggle to thrive because of decades of disinvestment, systemic racism, health disparities, and inequitable policing – factors that contribute to crime and violence, which in turn stunts the ability of people, organizations, and places to thrive.
These interconnected challenges are complex but not insurmountable. If coordinated and well-resourced, federal, state, local and philanthropic CVI efforts can be leveraged to improve outcomes in neighborhoods across the country.
We are encouraged by the Biden administration’s ambitious CVI investment agenda, which brings together the resources of multiple agencies and sectors. If this approach is to be truly transformative and sustainable, the federal government needs to channel resources to build the capacity of nonprofit and community-based organizations with community credibility, and dedicate funding to cultivate robust cross-sector partnerships.
The time to act is now. An historic spike in homicides and violent crime in neighborhoods around the country threatens the social and economic balance of communities. Though the increase in overall violent crime over the past year was an estimated 3 percent, some statistics cite a staggering 25 percent increase in murder during 2020, and 18 percent increase in murders this year compared with the same time period in 2020. The effect of this spike is especially felt in BIPOC and economically underserved communities, where more than 85 percent of the increase took place.
Though there is no consensus regarding the specific causes of these spikes, most experts agree that the effects of poverty, inequity, systemic racism, disinvestment and other complicated, interconnected issues exacerbated by the COVID pandemic are contributing factors.
As such, direct investment in community-based organizations (CBOs) and entities that have experience supporting them is essential. Recent research indicates that the workforce in U.S. nonprofit organizations was down by nearly 930,000 jobs as of December 2020 compared to estimated pre-COVID February 2020 levels, representing a 7.4 percent decline from its pre-pandemic level. This creates a dire situation for CVI strategies – which often rely on community-based partners to help identify the drivers of crime and violence and develop abatement strategies.
Strong, locally credible organizations can help neighborhood residents build collaborative relationships with police and other important stakeholders, elevate resident voices in assessment and planning processes, and ensure that proposed interventions are appropriate to meet specific local needs. Building the capacity of trusted community groups not only facilitates dialogue between residents and law enforcement, but also equips communities to address the issues that are barriers to social and economic opportunity.
The administration’s directive to emphasize CVI in justice programs and funding opportunities like the Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, Community Policing Development (CPD) Micro-Grants and Smart Policing, and Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding is commendable and essential, but does not direct additional resources for building the organizational and programmatic capacity of CBOs. Clarifying that community-based organizations are eligible for particular funding opportunities like Second Chance Act resources is also helpful, but the devastating impact of the pandemic on the nonprofit sector means that even the most credible CBOs may face organizational capacity challenges.
In addition to being deemed eligible to compete for these resources, front-line groups need financial support that facilitates day-to-day functioning as well as the expansion of services, sector-specific technical assistance that allows them to adopt data-driven approaches with measurable outcomes, and expertise and tools necessary to navigate and pursue funding opportunities.
Federal investments in crime reduction and safe communities must also address the tension that exists between many local communities and police. Establishing partnerships between police and community organizations, and between police and other municipal agencies and nonprofit service providers, is instrumental to bridging divides. Good collaboration requires strong project management and political stewardship.
Over the last 20 years, LISC has invested in “safety coordinators” to address this need. Typically, these individuals are staff at nonprofit organizations who convene partners, develop workplans to address crime problems, and facilitate mutual accountability. When tensions are high between residents and police, these coordinators help bridge divides to move projects and programs forward. In the aftermath of crises, these relationships provide a solid foundation for a mutual assessment of challenges and pathways to reconciliation.
In addition, for the past nine years, LISC has served as a technical assistance provider for the modestly funded Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program (BCJI) and continues to support grantees in their implementation plans. BCJI is one positive example of a federal intervention that can be scaled or replicated given its placed-based and community-centered roots. Historically, grants have supported collaborative, community-led, evidence-based, and sustainable strategies that integrate community revitalization approaches.
Grantees establish cross-sector partnerships and often utilize safety coordinators. LISC grantees received robust technical assistance to address the cornerstones of successful CVI strategies – incorporating authentic community engagement approaches and addressing holistic revitalization needs. In some local geographies, these cross-sector partnerships were immediately activated in order to respond to the pandemic, which illustrates their multi-faceted, long-term value.
The administration’s CVI priorities, whether they be investments in research, utilizing Medicaid funding, or various changes to existing federal funding streams across 26 programs, will need an implementation or dissemination vehicle in communities. Funding the establishment of BCJI-like partnerships or equipping existing similar partnerships with resources for safety coordination should be a top priority.
Everyone deserves to live in a place where they feel safe, respected and empowered. It requires a focus on the physical condition of communities, the quality of the connections between people, and a positive reshaping of the way local law enforcement interacts with the people it serves. CBOs and cross-sector partnerships can help build a foundation of partnership and trust that supports vibrant communities.
Nicole Barcliff, Senior Policy Director
With two decades of public policy experience, Nicole Elizabeth Barcliff joined LISC in November 2012. As a Senior Policy Director, she advocates for federal policies that support LISC’s mission to forge resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America – great places to live, work, visit, do business and raise families. Nicole works closely with LISC national programs, LISC local offices, and a broad cross-sector of organizations to develop legislation and implement policy advocacy agendas that promote access to equitable opportunity in local communities. Her priority policy areas include safety and justice, health, and child care and early learning. Prior to joining LISC, Nicole held various positions that helped shape her federal policy expertise, including serving as Legislative Director for a member of Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives, Vice President for Education Affairs at the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and Senior Associate for Government Relations at the Pew Charitable Trusts.