FARO Newsletter
1st Quarter, 2013

Federal Grant Dollars Helping Protect Flint's Fire Department, Residents   

Picture
Flint firefighters faced an even bigger crisis in 2012 than the blazes they routinely battle during a year's time—they nearly lost one-third of their force due to lack of funds.

Fortunately, the Federal Emergency Management Agency came to the city's aid with a $6.9 million grant, allowing city officials to retain 32 firefighter positions. City officials received the SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant in May 2012 to help pay firefighters' salaries and benefits for the next two years.

By alerting city officials to the grant opportunity and communicating with federal officials about application requirements, the SAFER grant was one example of how the Flint Area Reinvestment Office (FARO) helped the community last year, said FARO Director Jason Caya. The SAFER grant was a “critical” need for Flint, he said, and FARO was happy to help by passing along the necessary information to city officials.

The SAFER grant that Flint received also was among the largest awarded in the country last year, Caya said.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Additional Troopers, State Funds Making a Big Difference in Flint's Crime-Fighting Efforts

Picture
Saddled with a tight budget and high crime rate, Flint received an unprecedented amount of support from the state last year for its crime-fighting efforts and public safety initiatives. And while Flint's crime rate is still high, city officials say the state's assistance is making a big difference.

Gov. Rick Snyder announced the state's intent to help Flint, Saginaw, Detroit, and Pontiac battle high crime rates in an address he gave last March at Flint City Hall. According to FBI statistics, Flint topped the list of the nation's most violent cities in 2012, as it also did in 2011 and 2010.

Last year's state assistance came in the form of significant funding and on-the-ground aid to help the community better respond to public safety concerns through a wide range of initiatives. The initiatives address everything from jail overcrowding and targeted patrols in high-crime areas to truancy issues in the schools and easing unemployment through the creation of long-term jobs.

Following the governor's address, the state allocated $3.5 million to Flint—an amount that allowed the city to reopen its 110-bed lockup, said Jeff Barnes, Executive Director of Public Safety for the State of Michigan. The 72-hour facility allows law enforcement officials to make more arrests, creating more of a consequence for breaking the law. Some of the state dollars also were used to pay for additional electronic tethers, as well as costs associated with transporting inmates to other facilities to ease overcrowding at the county jail.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

More Community Success Stories

Here are some additional grants that have been submitted or awarded within our community over the last few months:

  • The Genesee County Land Bank, in partnership with the City of Flint, Flint Community Schools, and many others, was awarded $3,713,240 by MSHDA, DHS, and the Michigan Land Bank to eliminate blighted homes. Specifically, the 2012 Michigan Blight Elimination Program grant provides funds to increase public safety by eliminating blighted structures near schools, medical centers, and other high-traffic areas.


  • The City of Flint was awarded a U.S. Forest Service grant of $250,000 to continue phytoremediation (treatment of environmental problems through the use of plants) at Chevy in the Hole. With the grant, approximately 1,000 trees will be planted. Other partners include Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc.; the Center for Community Progress; Kettering University; Genesee County Land Bank; Michigan Department of Environmental Quality; the Flint River Corridor Alliance; and the Flint River Watershed Coalition.

  • Metro Community Development recently submitted an application to renew its YouthBuild Grant from the Department of Labor. The YouthBuild program is a 10-month program for young adults who complete a rigorous academic and job-readiness curriculum. The total request was $1,100,000.

FARO is proud to be a part of these and other initiatives in the Flint area.
Email Newsletter icon, E-mail Newsletter icon, Email List icon, E-mail List icon Sign up for our Email Newsletter
For Email Marketing you can trust

Interagency Group Tackling Critical Criminal Justice Issues in Flint, Genesee County


Several local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, the courts, the City of Flint, Genesee County, local government associations, and representatives from the State of Michigan have formed an advisory council that is making a difference in tackling some of the toughest issues facing the criminal justice system in Flint and Genesee County. Now that the group is in place, the community also is better positioned to receive future state and federal funding.

The Genesee County Criminal Justice System Advisory Council—which began meeting in late September 2012—includes about 70 people from 26 local, state, and federal agencies, courts, and government associations. The Flint Area Reinvestment Office, along with other community-minded organizations, also are involved with the advisory council's workgroups. Chaired by Genesee County Chief Judge Richard Yuille, members of the advisory council are working to make the community safer and the criminal justice system more efficient for residents.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ MORE  

Data and Information


Due to overwhelming feedback, FARO has taken the initiative to create a reservoir of data and information that might be needed for grant writing purposes. We recognize this is only a starting point in meeting the needs of our partners and the entire community. As noted, no information is located on the FARO website or at the FARO office. All data and information is live on other organizations' websites. We welcome your feedback and encourage you to share this news with anyone that you think might benefit.
            
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE NEW PAGE  

Other Newsletters


Prima Civitas Foundation

Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce

Flint Community Schools
Picture
503 S. Saginaw Street, Suite 1200 --- Flint, MI 48502-1851
Phone (810) 962-8065 --- Fax (810) 766-1748 --- Email info@reinvestflint.org