Nearly $200K in youth violence prevention grants awarded to these Lexington groups
Twenty Lexington community organizations are receiving grants from ONE Lexington to help prevent gun violence and support young people affected by it, Mayor Linda Gorton announced Tuesday.
“Keeping Lexington’s young people safe is a top priority,” Gorton said. “These grants support organizations that are making a difference every day by mentoring our youth, providing hope and opportunity, and helping them reach their full potential.”
This marks the fifth year that ONE Lexington, a city initiative to reduce gun violence among people ages 10-29, has offered the Violence Prevention Grant Program.
It’s also the third year since the addition of the N.O.C.A.P. Grant Program, which covers the costs of extracurricular activities for kids ages 12-17 whose parents have been incarcerated or who have been directly impacted by gun violence. The acronym stands for Nurturing Or Creating Alternative Pathways.
Fifteen organizations were granted $150,000 in violence prevention grants, and five organizations received N.O.C.A.P. funding, bringing the total investment to nearly $200,000, Gorton said.
ONE Lexington has seen significant growth since its founding, according to Director Devine Carama. The grant program started at just $50,000, and in four years, has given over half a million dollars to community partners who provide mentoring, education and enrichment to at-risk youth.
These partners foster deep relationships with young people, allowing adults to step in before conflicts turn into shootings, city officials say.
“When we think about all of these nonprofits who are on the front lines of this work, building relationships with our most vulnerable communities, with those who are directly affected by gun violence … they are saving lives because of the relationship that they have,” Carama said at the announcement ceremony Tuesday morning.
The statistics tell a similar story. Carama noted that this past weekend, Lexington reached 150 consecutive days without a homicide.
“Last year, Lexington reported its lowest total homicides in a decade, with homicides declining 13% from the previous year,” Gorton added. “Over the past five years, the city has seen substantial declines in both gun violence and overall community violence.”
The city hopes this year’s partners will help build on that progress. In 2026, N.O.C.A.P. funding will allow kids to receive free tutoring, basketball coaching, music lessons and more, city officials said Tuesday.
Among the 15 organizations receiving violence prevention grants is Operation Making a Change, where 15-year-old Bryan Station High School student Sapphira Hager works as a teen program coordinator through the Summer Youth Job Training Program.
Hager said working with OMAC has allowed her to meaningfully connect with younger kids, leading activities and conversations that encourage them to think critically about violence, the choices they make and the futures they want to build.
“I’ve been impacted by violence right on my street. About two years ago, there was a man shot in front of my bus stop over a few dollars. Another time, my little sister was just on the porch playing, and a man came up and showed her his gun to scare her,” Hager said. “Gun violence is a massive problem, especially in low-income areas, and programs like OMAC teach kids that having and using guns isn’t okay — that they should take pride in their community instead.”
This is why Hager said she believes in OMAC‘s mission to interrupt cycles of violence by giving kids a safe place, mentors and steady support — help she hopes the new funding will expand.
“It’s not just for kids who’ve made mistakes and are trying to get better. It’s for our whole community,” Hager said. “This grant means a lot because more funding will help us offer better activities and more nutritious food for the kids, which some of them might not get at home. I’m very excited.”
Which organizations got a grant?
- Alpha League
- Community Inspired Lexington
- Complexion Community Development
- HEARTS For Basketball Christian Academy
- Jubilee Jobs of Lexington
- Kentucky Compadres Comadres Network
- KEYZ Foundation Inc.
- Lexington Ravens Youth Organization
- Lexington Rescue Mission
- Operation Making a Change
- Peacefully Whole Inc.
- Project Ricochet
- The Kentucky Center for Grieving Children and Families Inc.
- The Voyage Movement
- West End Community Empowerment Project
5 organizations get N.O.C.A.P. grants
This story was originally published July 7, 2026 at 4:43 PM.
