CJJ | Congress Provides $10 million to Launch Promise Neighborhoods

With the passage of H.R. 3288, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, Congress provided $10 million to launch President Obama’s proposed Promise Neighborhoods, an initiative modeled after the successful Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) in New York City and first outlined by President Obama in 2007 as part of his proposed presidential agenda to tackle urban poverty.

Developed by Geoffrey Canada, HCZ is designed to address the entire range of community needs by changing the outcomes for children growing up in poverty. Since its creation in 1997, the program has expanded from 24-block service area to nearly 100 blocks, and has achieved remarkable results in raising the academic achievement level of children in the target area. To learn more about the program and what is has accomplished visit [1] www.hcz.org.

Program funds for the initiative will be administered by the U.S. Department of Education. In the first phase, 20 cities will be selected to receive $500,000 in planning money to develop a Promise Neighborhood in one of their communities. Once approved, these cities would then receive an additional multi-million dollar federal grant to begin implementing their plans. The implementation grant funds will need to be appropriated in future fiscal years.

The Department of Education is expected to issue the equivalent of a draft request for proposals (called a Notice of Proposed Priorities) for planning grants sometime next month, with a 30-day comment period. The final notice will be released sometime after that, at which time the Department will begin accepting planning grant applications. Language in the report for the budget package also instructs the Department to provide a briefing to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees at least 30 days before releasing the RFP.

While sharing similar names, President Obama’s Promise Neighborhoods initiative is distinct from the Youth PROMISE Act, federal legislation introduced last year that takes a positive, evidence-based approach to reducing and preventing youth involvement in criminal gang activity. If enacted, however, the Youth PROMISE Act will provide additional dollars that can be leveraged against Promise Neighborhoods dollars, which would in turn strengthen both programs and help each to reach their articulated goals.

While primarily an academic achievement program, Promise Neighborhoods have great potential to reduce youth delinquency as well as improve overall youth, family and community success. Thus, CJJ members, and SAGs in particular, are encouraged to monitor the Promise Neighborhood grants process, and take proactive steps to identify and partner with cities and nonprofits in their respective jurisdictions that are likely to apply for Promise Neighborhood funds.

[1]: http://www.hcz.org

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