BOSTON, Oct. 28, 2016—Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley today invited non-profit organizations serving youth across Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop to apply for grants to support programs that keep kids away from drugs, gangs, and dangerous behavior.

The grants will be dispersed through Conley’s Asset Forfeiture Community Reinvestment Grant program, which uses funds and assets seized from drug traffickers to provide cash awards to non-profits serving Suffolk County youth.  Grant amounts range from $2,500 to $7,500.

Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s Asset Forfeiture Community Reinvestment Program delivers thousands of dollars in seized drug money to area nonprofits like Sociedad Latina.

“Through the Asset Forfeiture Community Reinvestment Grants, we’ve provided hundreds of thousands of dollars to non-profits that steer young people away from drugs, guns, and violence,” Conley said.  “The program allows us to take drug money off the streets, where it would only further the scourge of addiction and violence, and instead put it to positive use for the community.”

A panel of community representatives will review the grant applications submitted to Conley’s office and assist in selecting award recipients. Non-profit organizations that wish to apply for one of this year’s awards can download the application packet here.  Inquiries may be directed to Deputy Chief of Staff Catherine Rodriguez at Catherine.Rodriguez@state.ma.us.  Completed applications are due no later than 4:00 p.m. on Nov. 18.

Massachusetts law allows up to 10 percent of money from the auctions of drug dealers’ property and confiscated funds to be returned to the community.  State auditors in 2013 reviewed the grant program and gave it high marks for turning “the profits of crime into something positive for the community” while carefully documenting all forfeiture-related income and expenditures.

–30–