The Johns Hopkins University Innovation Fund for Community Safety, which supports community-led programs that reduce violence in Baltimore, is renewing its commitment to the city by funding a second round of initiatives. Over the next four years, up to $6 million in funding will be given to select community organizations that improve connectedness and safety, with a focus on projects involving violence prevention, workforce development, and improvements to community spaces.
"The Innovation Fund for Community Safety embodies our commitment to support community-led solutions to address violence and expand economic opportunity in our city," said President Ron Daniels. "We are thrilled to be able to select our second cohort of grantees, who will deepen our shared impact, strengthening public safety and improving the health and well-being of our communities."
The Innovation Fund was first announced in 2020, when the university pledged to commit $6 million to local innovations and intervention projects over the next four years. At the time, the fund chose to focus on programs that centered environmental improvements, wraparound support services, youth interventions, and community mediation. This first round of grant funding helped 11 community organizations across the city, including House of Ruth Maryland and the Good Harvest Food Services Training Program. Together, these programs served more than 2,400 unique individuals and encountered nearly 10,000 Baltimore residents in the areas neighboring JHU's campuses in Mount Vernon, Charles Village, and East Baltimore.
The Innovation Fund is led by three key leaders across Johns Hopkins University: Maria Harris Tildon, vice president for government, community, and economic partnerships; Branville G. Bard, Jr., vice president for public safety; and Michelle Spencer, associate director of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative.
"This funding opportunity is a part of a broader effort to address community safety," Bard said. "By investing in community-based organizations and supporting collaborative efforts, we can be a part of the solution in creating safer and stronger communities, laying the foundation where everyone can thrive."
The Innovation Fund is focused on the neighborhoods in and around the Johns Hopkins footprint, including but not limited to Waverly, McElderry Park, Dunbar, Broadway, and Oliver.
"Our interest in investing in community safety is not just about reducing violent crimes," Tildon said. "This new round of funding aims to address the underlying causes of community violence, with the hope of creating safer, more vibrant neighborhoods."
Added Spencer: "The Innovation Fund empowers communities to drive creative solutions to address public safety in Baltimore neighborhoods. The multi-disciplinary partnerships of academia and community are imperative to collaboration and transformative impact right here in our backyards and across our city."
