The Elevation Grant Program is a long-standing, collaborative initiative designed to reduce violent crime in Indianapolis by addressing its root causes. Originally launched in 2013 and previously known as the Violent Crime Prevention Grant Program, it reflects a shift toward prevention, intervention, and community-led solutions. Rather than focusing solely on enforcement, the program invests in neighborhood-based organizations that provide mentorship, workforce development, mental health support, and other services that stabilize individuals and strengthen communities. Its core goal is to create safer, healthier neighborhoods by tackling systemic challenges such as poverty, trauma, and disinvestment, while building long-term resilience and opportunity.
The program prioritizes those most impacted by violence, particularly youth and young adults, and elevates the role of trusted, grassroots organizations that are closest to the work. By funding these organizations, the Elevation Grant Program not only supports immediate violence reduction efforts but also strengthens the broader nonprofit ecosystem, ensuring that community leaders have the resources and infrastructure needed to sustain their impact over time.
The program is a partnership between the City of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Foundation, combining public resources with philanthropic leadership. The City, often through its Office of Public Health and Safety, provides funding and aligns the program with broader violence reduction strategies, while the Indianapolis Foundation administers the grants, manages the application and selection process, and brings a community-centered, equity-driven lens to implementation. Together, this partnership reflects a shared commitment to investing in people and neighborhoods as the most effective path toward lasting public safety and a thriving Indianapolis.
In summary, the Elevation Grant Program aims to:
- Address the numerous root causes of violent crime,
- Increase resident-led solutions, discovering new innovative efforts,
- Invest in infrastructure development for grassroots organizations, ensuring that hope, abundance, peace, resilience, and safety are expressed and elevated.
