Local Planning Teams

Communities are safer when a diverse group of people come together to discuss how to build on community strengths and address safety challenges in a comprehensive way.

To do this, Local Planning Teams have worked to explore best practices in crime prevention and safety and have shared their own experiences and knowledge. The teams have determined crime prevention priorities that were used to develop the Transforming Safety community grant guidelines.

New! The communities of Grand Junction and Trinidad were recently added to the Transforming Safety project. Information about the Grand Junction and Trinidad Local Planning Teams will be posted as it becomes available.

Grand Junction Local Planning Team:

The Transforming Safety program legislation created four broad areas for the grant program:

  1. Academic Achievement
  2. Community-Based Direct Services
  3. Neighborhood Connections
  4. Increasing the Safety and Usability of Common Outdoor Spaces

  • Determine the geographical boundaries of the grant program.
  • Develop crime prevention priorities, based on the four program areas noted above, to inform the grant guidelines and grant making process. Please note that the Local Planning Team will not review grant proposals or make funding recommendations.
  • Organizations/agencies/schools with representatives who participate on the Local Planning Team are NOT prevented from applying for grant funding.
  • Meeting minutes of decisions points will be posted to the Transforming Safety website.
  • The meetings will be a blend of in-person and online formats (i.e. Zoom). Adjustments may be made due to COVID19 safety precautions.
  • The Latino Coalition for Community Leadership (LCCL) staff and facilitators are available to talk with and support local planning team members outside of meetings. The LCCL is a non-profit community oriented intermediary selected by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs through a competitive process to manage the Transforming Safety Project in Grand Junction. The LCCL works throughout the state, including Grand Junction, to Find, Fund, Form and Feature non-profits in marginalized communities meeting the needs of individuals and families. The LCCL is the provider of technical assistance, data management and reporting for the Transforming Safety projects in North Aurora and SE Colorado Springs.

The Local Planning Team is composed of a diverse cross-section of the community with people experienced in areas such as:

  • Non-profit Direct Services
  • Education
  • Youth and Families
  • Faith Leaders
  • Local Law Enforcement & Local Government
  • Residents of Grand Junction, including those who have been directly impacted by crime and involvement in the criminal justice system.

Martha Amos – Amos Counseling

Shay Boe – Sexual Offense Resource Services (SORS)

Erik Borrell – Community Member

Brian Bretton – Community Member

Myra Brown – Community Member

Steven Enos-Martinez – Mesa County Valley School District 51

Micah Espinoza – Freedom Institute, Inc

Micah Espinoza, Jr. – Community Member: Youth

 Elizabeth Hicks – Department of Corrections/Div. Adult Parole

Mona Highline – The Joseph Center

Joy Hudak – Riverside Educational Center

Cody Kennedy – Community Member

Paula Mattas – Mesa County Partners

Karen Pramenko – Community Member

Janet Rowland – Community Member

Dan Rubinstein – District Attorney’s Office

The Local Planning Team members will meet a total of 5 times over January and February of 2022 as indicated below.

North Aurora Local Planning Team:

  • The North Aurora Local Planning Team has determined the “N” Aurora geographical boundaries for the purposes of the Transforming Safety Community Grants Program.
  • The Local Planning Team has developed crime prevention priorities and those priorities have been used by The Denver Foundation to develop the grant guidelines and grant-making process. Please note that the Local Planning Team will not be asked to review grant proposals or make direct funding recommendations.
  • In early 2018, the Local Planning Team met for an initial set of meetings that determined crime prevention strategies. The Local Planning Team met once a year over a three year period to discuss issues related to community impact.
  • All meetings of the Local Planning Teams were open to the public and meeting minutes were posted on this website.
  • Food was provided at all meetings and child care and transit fares were provided, as needed.
  • The Denver Foundation staff and facilitators are available to talk with and support Local Planning Team members outside of meetings.
  • Organizations/agencies/schools with representatives who participate on a Local Planning Team are NOT prevented from applying for grant funding.

The Local Planning Team represents a diverse cross-section of the community and brings together people with experience in areas such as:

  • Education
  • Local business/workforce development
  • Youth & families
  • Nonprofit direct service
  • Faith leaders
  • Law enforcement/local government
  • Residents of N Aurora including those who have been directly impacted by crime and involvement in the criminal justice system

The Local Planning Team is facilitated by highly skilled people to help support the discussion and strategic decision-making.

Application process

  • Applications for the North Aurora Planning Team were due on Nov. 17, 2017.  Selections and notifications were completed Nov. 30, 2017.

North Aurora Local Planning Team Members

Farduus Ahmed
Robert Andrews
Brian Arnold
Molli Barker
Ronald Blan
Ken Crawford
Harry Glidden
Dara Goldsby
Yemane Habtezgi
Reid Hettich		 LeKeshia Hodge
Debi Hunter-Holen
Nancy Jackson
Dana Jenkins
Hassan Latif
Omar Montgomery
Crystal Murillo
Hanni Raley
Tonya Rozencwajg

N Aurora meeting schedule

  • Sat., December 9, 2017 – Local Planning Team meeting, 9:30 am – 1:30 pm (Location: Aurora Strong Resilience Center) Download Meeting Notes [PDF]
  • Thurs., Jan. 4, 2018 – Local Planning Team meeting, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (Location: Village Exchange Center, 1609 Havana St, Aurora, CO 80010) Download Meeting Notes [PDF]
  • Thurs., Jan. 18, 2018 – Local Planning Team meeting,  5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (Location: Village Exchange Center, 1609 Havana St, Aurora, CO 80010) Download Meeting Notes [PDF]
  • Thurs., Feb. 1, 2018 – Local Planning Team meeting, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (Location: Village Exchange Center, 1609 Havana St, Aurora, CO 80010) Download Meeting Notes [PDF]
  • Tues., Feb. 13, 2018 – Local Planning Team meeting, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (Location: Village Exchange Center, 1609 Havana St, Aurora, CO 80010) Download Meeting Notes [PDF]
  • Tues., Feb. 27, 2018 – Local Planning Team meeting, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (Location: Village Exchange Center, 1609 Havana St, Aurora, CO 80010) Download Meeting Notes [PDF]

Southeast Colorado Springs Local Planning Team:

  • Southeast Colorado Springs Local Planning Team has determined the geographical boundaries for “SE” Colorado Springs for the purposes of the Transforming Safety Community Grants Program.
  • The Local Planning Team has developed crime prevention priorities and those priorities have been used by The Denver Foundation to develop the grant guidelines and grant-making process. Please note that Local Planning Team will not be asked to review grant proposals or make direct funding recommendations.
  • In early 2018, the Local Planning Team met for an initial set of meetings that determined crime prevention strategies. The Local Planning Team met once a year over a three year period to discuss issues related to community impact.
  • All meetings of the Local Planning Teams were open to the public and meeting minutes are posted on this website.
  • Food was provided at all meetings and child care and transit fares were provided, as needed.
  • The Denver Foundation staff and facilitators are available to talk with and support Local Planning Team members outside of meetings.
  • Organizations/agencies/schools with representatives who participate on a Local Planning Team are NOT prevented from applying for grant funding.

The Local Planning Team represents a diverse cross-section of the community and brings together people with experience in areas such as:

  • Education
  • Local business/workforce development
  • Youth & families
  • Nonprofit direct service
  • Faith leaders
  • Law enforcement/local government
  • Residents of SE Colorado Springs including those who have been directly impacted by crime and involvement in the criminal justice system

The Local Planning Team is facilitated by highly skilled people to help support the discussion and strategic decision-making.

Application process

  • Applications for the SE Colorado Springs Planning Team were due on Dec. 22, 2017.  Selections and notifications were completed Jan. 4, 2018.

SE Colorado Springs Local Planning Team Members

Andrea Adkins
Shane Alvarez
Robert Bentley
Wendy Birhanzel
Robert M. Burns
Bill Chancy
Jody Derington
Rachel Flood
Jim Hinkle
Jeannette Holtham
Kristiana Huitron
Lisa Jenkins
Patience Kabwasa		 Chauncey LaBrie
Promise Lee
Mina Liebert
Lisa Medina
Juaquin Mobley
Linda Perkins
Julie Ramirez
Wilfred Romero
Joyce Salazar
Abby Simpson
Taj Stokes
Teresa Thomas

 SE Colo. Springs meeting schedule

  • Sat., Jan. 13, 2018 – Local Planning Team meeting, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Location: Panorama Middle School, 2145 S. Chelton Rd. Colorado Springs, CO 80916) Download Meeting Notes [PDF]
  • Sat., Jan. 27, 2018 – Local Planning Team meeting, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Location: Panorama Middle School, 2145 S. Chelton Rd. Colorado Springs, CO 80916) Download Meeting Notes [PDF]
  • Sat., Feb. 10, 2018 – Local Planning Team meeting, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Location: Panorama Middle School, 2145 S. Chelton Rd. Colorado Springs, CO 80916) Download Meeting Notes [PDF]
  • Sat., Feb. 24, 2018 – Local Planning Team meeting, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Location: Panorama Middle School, 2145 S. Chelton Rd. Colorado Springs, CO 80916) Download Meeting Notes [PDF]
  • Wed., Feb. 28, 2018 – Local Planning Team meeting, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Location: Panorama Middle School, 2145 S. Chelton Rd. Colorado Springs, CO 80916)

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