Clark County Sheriff Deborah K. Burchett on June 5 disbursed $19,475.00 in grant awards to seven local 501(c)3 organizations/applicants that provide services in Clark County, Ohio.
The applicants chosen for Community Trust Fund Grants include:
• Springfield Peace Center, $5,000
• Clark County Substance Prevention, Treatment & Support Coalition (McKinley Hall), $4,475
• H.O.P.E./Rock of Hope, $3,000
• Oesterlen Services for Youth, Inc., $3,000
• Rocking Horse Center, $2,000
• Recovery X, $1,000
• CitiLookout Trauma Recovery Center, $1,000
The Ohio Revised Code regulates that assets can be seized when they are used in the commission of a crime or are the proceeds of a crime. Once seized, the assets can only be used by law enforcement agencies after a suspect has been convicted, and only then if a Judge declares the assets forfeited. If there is no conviction, or if the Judge does not declare the asset forfeited, the assets are returned to their owner. The Ohio Revised Code also mandates how law enforcement agencies are to use asset forfeiture funds; one allowable area includes supporting community drug/alcohol prevention and education programs.
Sheriff Burchett wanted to see seized funds put back into the community. Earlier this year, the Sheriff’s Office created a program to address community needs in a meaningful and rewarding way through the annual Community Trust Fund Grant. Organizations are required to use the funds to focus on one or more of the following areas:
• Drug Abuse Education, Prevention, or Treatment
• Crime Prevention or Education
• Educational/Preventative Services for Victims of Crime
The Sheriff’s Office was committed to ensuring a fair and open process for making awards. A review panel was used an evaluation tool to score each application that met the minimum requirements. The Sheriff’s Office is interested in seeing how the organizations are making a difference in Clark County, so each one is required to submit reports to show how their awards were used.
Additional information can be found on the Sheriff’s Office website at:
https://www.clarkcountyohio.gov/571/Community-Grant-Trust-Fund
