The Community Foundation of Central Georgia (CFCG) will open the application process for the third round of Macon Violence Prevention (MVP) community grants on April 1. Thanks to funding from Macon-Bibb County, up to $800,000 will be awarded to organizations to continue or start programs focused on violent crime prevention and aligned with the goals of the community-generated MVP Strategic Plan.   

Organizations must submit an application by 12 p.m. on Friday, May 10, to be considered. Applications are available online at Macon Violence Prevention Grant Program. In addition to submitting a timely application for programming aligned with the goals of the strategic plan, all applicants must also participate in an orientation session by Zoom on Thursday, April 4, at 1 p.m. as part of the grant application process. The Community Foundation of Central Georgia will hold office hours during this grant cycle to answer potential applicants’ questions.  

"Thanks to the leadership of the Community Foundation, more than $1.6 million has already been invested in providing much-needed support and services directly to children and families all over the county,” said Mayor Miller. “I know that the MVP program is making a positive impact in Macon-Bibb County. Our overall homicide rate dropped by 40%, and the youth homicide rate fell by 67% between 2022 and 2023. We knew when we launched MVP in 2021 that we had our work cut out for us, and our community has stepped up to the challenge. We’re not about to stop this positive progress now, and I’m looking forward to hearing even more success stories this year.” 

“We are inspired and energized by the work of our first two rounds of community grant recipients,” said Kathryn Dennis, President of the Community Foundation of Central Georgia. “But, most importantly, we are seeing tangible results, such as a remarkable reduction in the level of violent crime in our community. We still understand that this work is a marathon, not a sprint, and we remain committed to supporting local organizations that have really stepped up to do the work.” 

The Macon Violence Prevention program began in 2021 when Mayor Miller brought together community leaders to address violent crime using evidence-based solutions. Based on feedback from 14 community forums and a series of community-wide surveys, these leaders developed the Macon Violence Prevention Strategic Plan. 

“From literacy programs to family counseling to mental health services to activities that teach problem-solving skills, we are seeing that these MVP programs do work and are, over time, helping to create a stronger, safer community,” said Mayor Miller. 

 “From the beginning, we have recognized that this is a long-term effort, and we fully expect to build on the remarkable progress we’re seeing,” adds Kathryn Dennis. “This is the work our entire community needs to rally behind, whether it’s applying for a grant, volunteering with one of the organizations or finding other ways to be involved.” 

Organizations who are awarded funding during this cycle will be announced the week of July 29.