LEXINGTON, Ky. — People working toward preventing gun violence can start applying for grants March 1 through ONE Lexington.

What You Need To Know

  • Nonprofits hoping to prevent gun violence can apply for grants beginning March 1 through ONE Lexington

  • ONE Lexington aims to curb gun violence in the community 

  • The Community Action Council plans to select groups that get the funding based on several initiatives

  • The application closes April 5 at 5 p.m. 

Special funding is on the table, and it is being made available to nonprofits and groups that have a fiscal agent from the city’s Gun Violence Reduction Grant program.

Kenneth Payne works in outreach with ONE Lexington and said the organization helps give other groups a chance to grow. Nearly $100,000 will be put in the city's budget for fiscal year 2025, and if approved by the Urban County Council, each organization chosen will receive up to $7,500. 

The Community Action Council plans to select groups that get the funding based on initiatives such as intervention, mindfulness, community engagement and gun violence reduction programming.

“Maybe they'll do some messaging as it relates to gun violence, or maybe they'll have some type of block party or something like that," Payne said. 

Programming paid for by grants helped nearly 1,200 young people last year.

Payne said the objective is to lift burdens for groups wanting to be a part of peacekeeping in their communities as Lexington continues making progress. The city had 24 homicides last year, compared to 44 in 2022, while 2023 was the first time in five years it had fewer than 100 shootings. 

"It could be an extension of us ... it's not for us to come and try to reinvent the wheel but help build their capacity and the work that they're doing," Payne said. 

Grant applications are due April 5 at 5 p.m. Recipients will be announced at the end of April. 

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