Grantmaking

The Hear Foundation Community Microgrant Program

Since its launch in June 2022, The Hear Foundation has conducted two rounds of Community Microgrants to local nonprofit organizations working in in one or more of The Hear Foundation’s three pillar areas: trauma and resilience, workforce development and gun violence prevention.  

2023 Grantmaking

In May 2023, The Hear Foundation announced $200,000 in grants to 15 local nonprofits to support their work fostering strong, positive relationships between Pittsburgh Police and local residents; creating safe communities; and bringing opportunities for healing and support to those impacted by trauma and violence.

Programs receiving funding ranged from equipping football coaches to mentor youth beyond the field, to training and job support for those exiting incarceration, to teen driver training and wraparound services that give a voice to those suffering the trauma of gun violence and loss. 

“Each of these programs is bringing real transformative change for the people who live in neighborhoods impacted by violence,” said The Hear Foundation Co-founder Leon Ford. “These organizations are finding innovative, effective ways to bring residents and Pittsburgh Police officers together to talk, build connection, and work toward the goal that we all share: to create and maintain peace, safety and security for our families, our kids and for those serving in public safety.”

See a full list of 2023 funded programs.

Summer of Healing Microgrants

On June 22, 2022, The Hear Foundation announced its first community microgrant projects to begin the process of healing and community-police collaboration in our neighborhoods. Made possible by the generous support of Heal America, each inaugural grant addressed one or more of our three pillars: gun violence reduction, trauma, and workforce development.

Youth Summer Camps

Our first project supported youth in Pittsburgh’s underserved neighborhoods. The Hear Foundation funded three summer camps: Voices Against Violence, Hope 4 Tomorrow, and Youth Enrichment Services.  Each six-week camp provided programs on holistic care of the child, academic achievement, wellbeing, self-empowerment, and community service.

Our project embedded community engagement police officers in weekly camp programs, engaging young people in discussions on topics such as police reform, public safety concerns, careers in law enforcement, processing prior police encounters, and media portrayals of police and youth.

Additionally, Imagine Further, an organization of local experts on mental health education for youth, joined the camps for weekly sessions to help participants develop their  support systems, positive coping skills, and resiliency. To facilitate these positive interactions, five young adults were hired to serve as ambassadors accompanying officers to summer camp visits.

Perry High School Youth-Led Safety Plan

In its 2021-22 school year, following 18 months of isolation for many students due to the pandemic, Perry High School saw an escalation in fights, violence, and disruption, which led to the formation of a safety council. The Hear Foundation supported A+ Schools in the hiring of five youth this past summer to develop and implement a student-focused safety ambassador program, in conjunction with a school social worker and a nonprofit leader focused on violence prevention.

The project provided a workplace experience for safety-engaged youth as they developed a school-wide plan to create after-school safe passages, recruit student safety ambassadors, and build connections to mediate conflicts before they escalate. Pittsburgh police participated to build relationships and introduce the concepts of relationship-based policing.

Students are developing as peer leaders and have gained a platform to give input and create solutions to address safety issues in the school. Ancillary soft skills were developed as the students learned to report for planning sessions on time, log and report hours worked, express ideas, and develop viable implementation strategies.

Center for Victims: Building Trauma and Resilience

The Hear Foundation engaged the Center for Victims to host a series of Healing Rivers workshops, during which community leaders are trained in the science and impact of trauma, and equipped to share tools and strategies to build wellbeing and resilience. 

These workshops provide an understanding of the impacts of direct and vicarious trauma from violence, abuse, chronic adversity, toxic stress, and social inequities on children, adults, families and communities. Participants include grassroots community leaders, clergy and police, as well as individuals such as athletic coaches and street outreach workers.