Hate Crime Prevention Innovation Grants to Provide up to $20K

December 2, 2021

New grants encourage New Yorkers to pursue creative projects to reduce hate crimes and promote respect for all

NEW YORK—The application period is now open for up to $20,000 in Hate Crime Prevention Innovation Grants for educational and community programs that will foster respect among diverse communities and help prevent hate violence.

Applicants are encouraged to undertake a creative, entrepreneurial approach and design and implement projects that promote community respect, prevent hate violence, and explore ways to address hate crimes, bias-motivated incidents, and discrimination through non-law enforcement deterrence.

“There is not one way to prevent hate,” said Deborah Lauter, Executive Director of the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes. “We hope these grants will spur new ideas and engage more individuals and organizations in our important work to ensure the safety of all New Yorkers.”

Applications for the grants will be reviewed and awarded on a rolling basis between December 1, 2021 and June 1, 2022. OPHC is accepting proposals from individuals, groups, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions. Projects may include plans for a broad range of programming, including community workshops, videos, events, conferences, and social media campaigns. New Yorkers who are 14 and older are encouraged to submit proposals for projects with funding needs up to $20,000.

All criteria regarding qualifications and funding of the grant, including the application, can be found here.

“The City Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) has been proud to work alongside OPHC in these first two years since it was established, building upon the Commission's longstanding work to eliminate bias and discrimination. This Innovation Grant initiative is a terrific example of OPHC's efforts to expand their outreach and impact to prevent hate before it takes hold,” said Annabel Palma, Commissioner and Chair of New York City’s Commission on Human Rights.

OPHC’s Hate Crime Prevention Innovation Grants are a component of its Partners Against The Hate (P.A.T.H.) FORWARD initiative, which was launched in May 2021 to help combat bias-motivated incidents and hate crimes in New York City. These projects support OPHC’s mission to cultivate positive relationships among New Yorkers, increase community-led responses to hate crimes and bias-motivated incidents, improve reporting of incidents, build community cohesion, and develop educational programs that encourage cultural competence, awareness, and respect for all.

Embedded in the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) and the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit (CAU), OPHC launched in September 2019 following its creation by Mayor Bill de Blasio and the New York City Council. OPHC takes a holistic approach to prevent and respond to hate crimes, develops and coordinates community-driven prevention strategies to address biases fueling such crimes, and fosters healing for victims and their communities.