Safer Streets: Governor Hochul Announces $20 Million for Community-Based Organizations Providing Youth Services and Support in 10 Communities Statewide

State Investment Through Project RISE Supports 136 Programs and Services That Strengthen Youth Development, Increase Economic and Educational Opportunities, and Address Underlying Causes of Violence To Improve Community Response

Each Community Will Receive $2 Million, With Local Stakeholders Deciding How Funding is Distributed; See List of Grant Recipients

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $20 million in state funding for community-based organizations that provide services and support to young people in 10 municipalities across the state: Albany, Buffalo, Hempstead, Mount Vernon, Newburgh, Rochester, Syracuse, Troy, Utica, and Yonkers. The investment through Project RISE (Respond, Invest, Sustain, Empower) supports a total of 136 programs and services that strengthen youth development and mental health, increase economic and educational opportunities for young people, and address the underlying causes of violence and improve the community’s response. Each community receives $2 million, which supports established organizations and smaller, grassroots programs that traditionally have not received state funding for their impactful work.

“Every young person deserves to grow up with people who believe in them, places where they feel safe and real opportunities to build a successful future,” Governor Hochul said. “Project RISE puts resources directly into communities, supporting trusted local organizations that know their young people and understand what it takes to help them thrive. By expanding opportunity and reaching young New Yorkers before they encounter the justice system, we are changing lives and building safer communities for generations to come.”

Administered by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), the initiative supports a wide range of programs, including mentoring, mental health services, restorative practices, the arts, athletics, financial literacy, job training, and educational support that breaks down barriers to higher education and careers, among others. Project RISE also supports organizations that help youth and families build resilience and address grief and trauma resulting from long-term exposure to violence.

 Project RISE-funded organizations offered nearly 1,600 programs and events, serving slightly more than 113,000 participants, during the July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, funding cycle. This marks the fourth round of RISE funding for seven communities (Albany, Buffalo, Mount Vernon, Newburgh, Rochester, Syracuse, Yonkers) and second round for Hempstead, Troy, and Utica.

The initiative is part of Governor Hochul’s comprehensive approach to improving public safety by investing in prevention, intervention, and enforcement. Since taking office, the Governor has invested nearly $4 billion, providing record-level support for law enforcement agencies and community-based organizations on the front lines of reducing crime and gun violence.

DCJS used a data-driven approach to identify the initial locations and expand the initiative, analyzing demographics and poverty data for each city as outlined in the American Community Survey; and violent crime and shooting data reported to the state by each municipality’s police department. In addition to administering funding, DCJS provides training and technical assistance, and evaluates programs to ensure accountability and impact.

The innovative Project RISE funding model drives investments in programs and services that are tailored to meet the unique needs and priorities identified by youth, families, and other stakeholders in the participating communities. Each Project RISE community has a steering committee, which decides where the $2 million investment will pay the greatest dividends for youth and families and strengthen neighborhoods.

Steering committees use a healing and equity lens to foster ongoing collaboration; identify programs and services for funding; build capacity to implement and sustain programming to address the underlying factors contributing to violence; and improve responses to violence through partnerships. Up to four lead organizations in each community receive the funding, retaining a portion for their programs and distributing the balance to support the work of other organizations, many of which hadn’t previously received state funding. This allows RISE funding to build the capacity of successful grassroots programs to expand their reach.

The Division of Criminal Justice Services provides critical support to all facets of the state’s criminal justice system, including, but not limited to: training law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals; overseeing a law enforcement accreditation program; ensuring Breathalyzer and speed enforcement equipment used by local law enforcement operate correctly; managing criminal justice grant funding; analyzing statewide crime and program data; providing research support; overseeing county probation departments and alternatives to incarceration programs; and coordinating youth justice policy. Follow DCJS on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).