Boone County board rebuffs Columbia application for violence prevention grant money

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Boone County Children's Services Board gave the City of Columbia a zero on its application for grant money on its violence-prevention efforts.

The city's application for $1.5 million was the only one to receive a zero, according to documents released by the county board on Tuesday. Columbia had asked for money to improve Columbia Public Schools after-school programming by doling out money to organizations already offering "high-quality after-school programs."

Leigh Spence, chairperson of the county board, told ABC 17 News in an email that the city's proposal was "vague" or didn't answer the questions given on the application. Spence also said the application didn't follow the right purchase of service model required for the grant.

"The City did not propose directly delivering any services and did not complete the service section in the proposal that follows the [purchase of service] model," Spence wrote.

The city was one of one-of-50 organizations that applied for a piece of the grants offered by the county's Children's Services Board for its 2024 funding. The grants are meant to help organizations and programs that promote "the well-being of children, youth, and families in Boone County," according to a news release announcing the winners.

The city's application sought to help 500 students, most of them elementary school-aged. The application -- submitted by public health planner Mia Millard -- based the idea on research showing that children who participate in after-school activities are more likely to graduate than their peers who do not participate. CPS, in turn, could gather results on how well those programs were working to improve the services the city funds.

"By keeping students engaged in productive activities during after-school hours, the program reduces the exposure to violence and criminal activities," Millard wrote. "Safe, structured environments and positive adult relationships are crucial in mitigating the risks associated with unsupervised time."

CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark wrote in an email that neither district staff nor Board of Education members were involved in writing the grant. She said former Superintendent Brian Yearwood did help the city and "various community partners" in developing the application.

"Regardless of the application status, the district will continue to prioritize meeting the needs of all our students and will continue working with our partners to provide supports and resources for students and families," Baumstark wrote. "We welcome partnerships with existing community organizations to better meet the needs of our students."

City spokesperson Sydney Olsen wrote in an email to ABC 17 News that the funding from the grant would have complimented the work of the newly created Office of Violence Prevention, but wasn't tied specifically to that office.

"As the Office of Violence Prevention is established, the City will also explore opportunities for grant funding in the future to supplement funding already included in the budget," Olsen wrote.

Several city council members declined to comment when asked what they thought of the city manager's approach on community violence. Ward 1 councilwoman Valerie Carroll and Ward 5 councilman Don Waterman declined to comment. Ward 2 councilwoman Leslie Meyer referred a reporter to the city manager's office for a response. Councilmembers Roy Lovelady, Nick Foster, Betsy Peters and Mayor Barbara Buffaloe did not respond as of Friday evening.

The city has not yet secured federal grant funding to help with its ongoing violence prevention efforts. Olsen told ABC 17 News that it will hold interviews in the first week of February for its new violence prevention coordinator, a new position created in the fiscal year 2025 budget. That person will be tasked to do the work the grant application described - spend money on local groups performing violence prevention work in Columbia. The budget gives the new office $500,000 for its first year of work.

"The City will be seeking requests for proposals from organizations to facilitate a strategic planning process for the Office of Violence Prevention which will help us determine clear objectives identified by the community," Olsen said. "This process will also help narrow opportunities for additional funding."

The city also spent $2 million of its federal American Rescue Plan Act money on violence prevention and interruption in late 2023.

The largest of the county's $9.1 million in awarded funding includes more than $1 million for several University of Missouri programs aimed at psychiatric help for young people.