Project  Stakeholders

Greensboro Police Department: The Office of Community Engagement is a division of the Greensboro Police Department that exists to build and foster positive police-community relations through communications, programs, partnerships, and volunteer opportunities. We believe by creating strong relationships and working together, our residents and law enforcement officers can establish a better foundation of trust, help to proactively address public safety concerns.

University of North Carolina at Greensboro:  The Center for Housing and Community Studies (CHCS) is a community-engaged, applied research institution specializing in geospatial research and multi-modal data collection and mixed-method analysis, used to develop community-informed solutions to social problems around housing and neighborhoods for governments, nonprofits, foundations and institutions of higher education. We also incorporate grounded solutions to provide education and outreach promoting individual through systems-level change. Our mission is to support, collaborate with, and empower community and institutional partners by providing data, information, evaluation, and assessment. Our vision is to eliminate barriers and disparities in safe, affordable, fair, and healthy housing and communities.

North Carolina A&T State University: The Department of Leadership Studies and Adult Education at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) focuses on preparing individuals to become effective leaders and educators in various professional settings. The department offers undergraduate and graduate programs that combine theory and practical application to develop leadership skills and promote lifelong learning. The Department of Leadership Studies and Adult Education at NC A&T also engages in research and community outreach initiatives. Faculty members conduct research in areas such as leadership development, adult learning, educational policy, and workforce development. They strive to contribute to the body of knowledge in the field and address the educational needs of the local community and beyond.

RTI: Our vision is to address the world's most critical problems with science-based solutions in pursuit of a better future. Our commitment to improving the human condition wouldn’t be complete without a commitment to the communities we serve and the planet we live on. Through both institute-level efforts and the volunteer passions of staff members, RTI takes action to make the world a better place.

Detailed Goals:

 Goal 1: In order to achieve the purpose of the program, the Community-focused Violence Intervention and Prevention Program in Greensboro city will strive to reduce and prevent community violence by focusing on individuals at the highest risk of violence perpetration or victimization. This goal will be accomplished by identifying and targeting individuals who are most likely to engage in or be affected by violent crime. Through the use of data and input from residents and partners, the program will select evidence-based methods that effectively address the needs and circumstances of these high-risk individuals. By providing comprehensive support, including trauma counseling, case management, and access to resources, the program aims to assist these individuals in desisting from violent behavior and achieving wellness, healing, and long-term success.

 Goal 2: Another objective of the program is to reduce and prevent community violence by focusing on engaging neighborhoods that experience high levels of violence. The program recognizes that addressing the root causes of crime, such as poverty, inadequate education, lack of family support, trauma, and unemployment, is crucial to creating safer communities. Through collaboration with neighborhood stakeholders and research partners, the program will conduct surveys and assessments to understand the resource needs and interests of residents in these high-crime neighborhoods. By actively involving community members in problem-solving and decision-making processes, the program will tailor its approach to address the specific challenges and aspirations of each neighborhood. Additionally, the program will establish partnerships with community-serving locations and provide initial funding and resources to support sustainable capacity-building within the communities.

 Goal 3: Building positive relationships between community members and law enforcement is an essential aspect of the program. By leveraging the activities and successes achieved under Goals 1 and 2, the program aims to improve relations between residents and law enforcement personnel. Through the use of police and administrative data, as well as public sentiment surveys, the program will gather insights to guide its efforts in fostering positive community-police relationships. By engaging partner organizations and community events, the program will create opportunities for the community to interact with law enforcement in a constructive and collaborative manner. The program will also work towards increasing community access to and positive engagement with criminal justice system agencies by providing additional services and leveraging technology.

 Goal 4: To ensure the model fidelity and sustainability of the program, strategic, data-driven, and performance-focused approaches will be implemented. The program will actively involve its local research partners, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) and NC A&T, in using an action research model. This collaboration will enable the program to tailor evidence-based strategies to the focal neighborhoods and continually assess and improve its performance. Through the collection and analysis of program data, such as the identification of high-risk individuals and milestone achievements in connecting them with necessary services, the program will monitor its progress and make data-informed decisions. By utilizing strategic planning, data analysis, and a focus on performance, the program will ensure that its interventions are effective, sustainable, and aligned with its overarching purpose.

Partners:

Partner list (note is not complete, will grow and change with the grant): Current Planning Team:

• Community Connectors
• Cone Health, Community Engagement
• Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, Building Stronger Neighborhoods
• East Market Street Development
• Greensboro Housing Coalition 
• Greensboro Housing Authority
• Greensboro Workforce Development
• Guilford County Schools
• NC A&T State University
• Jomoworks
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• A&T
• RTI