SAFE Charlotte- providing funding to community organizations to address violent crime in Charlotte.

Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte, She Built This City, and Digi-Bridge Partner for
Long-Term Impact in Hidden Valley Neighborhood

Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte (RTGC), She Built This City, and Digi-Bridge were selected this week to jointly apply for a two-year grant to lead a “collaborative, cross-sector initiative addressing the root causes of violence and promoting greater access to opportunity” in Charlotte’s Hidden Valley neighborhood. The grants are funded by United Way of the Central Carolinas and the City of Charlotte through their SAFE Charlotte Grant program.
 
In October 2020, Charlotte City Council adopted the SAFE Charlotte plan, which includes recommendations to re-imagine policing and make the city safer. 

The first recommendation in the SAFE Charlotte report is to provide funding to community organizations to address violent crime in Charlotte.
 
This initial award of $30,00 will provide capacity-building funding that enables RTGC, She Built This City, and Digi-Bridge to prepare a proposal for a June 10 deadline outlining how grant funds will be used to drive programming. The organizations will be conducting outreach and seeking community input throughout May to co-design the effort. At the conclusion of the capacity building period, the project will be eligible for up to $400,000 in programmatic funding.
 
If the organizations are successful in receiving funding through the SAFE Charlotte initiative, initial plans are to focus on housing stability, workforce development, and youth services. Targeted outputs over the two years to test further could include critical home repairs for families in Hidden Valley, home maintenance workshops, a large-scale beautification project, workforce training in the trades, and STEAM programming for youth.

The nonprofits currently work collaboratively and share space at Innovation Alley, a dedicated program space funded by Lowe’s Foundation. “We truly believe that the best outcomes happen when we collaborate with each other, alongside neighbors and community organizations,” said Morrison. “This funding will enable us to partner with leaders from the Hidden Valley neighborhood and offer support across a range of areas.”

About Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte
Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte (RTGC)’s mission is to repair homes, revitalize communities and rebuild lives. The organization mobilizes community volunteers and contractors to provide repairs that make homes safer and healthier for neighbors in need, maintaining safe and affordable housing with unmatched cost effectiveness. RTGC’s model prioritizes critical repairs that correct 25 scientifically proven health and safety hazards that are common in older homes, including falls, fires, mold, asthma and allergies.

About She Built This City
She Built This City’s mission is to provide industry disruptive programming that sparks interest and builds pathways to lucrative careers in the skilled trades for youth, women and marginalized communities.  The organization’s programs are designed to dismantle barriers and stigmas in traditionally male-dominated industries through innovative, sustainable practices that prepare youth for a future of jobs that have yet to be created.
 
About Digi-Bridge
Digi-Bridge aims to equip shareholders with the means to foster optimal use of technology in the learning environment, ensuring that all 21st century learners have opportunities to succeed in the digital age. The organization provides digital classroom design consultancy, develops and delivers coursework and STEAM opportunities to K-8 scholars and advocates in support of digital access and opportunity.  ​