Prevention Matters is a three-year grant initiative launched by the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation in 2018 to help Marion County schools identify, implement and sustain proven substance use prevention programs. Proven programs equip students with skills that not only help them avoid drugs and alcohol, but also help improve their academic achievement, attendance, classroom behavior and social and emotional well-being. These programs can also help reduce bullying and violence.
Through Prevention Matters, the Foundation has committed nearly $12 million to implement evidence-based prevention programs in public (traditional, charter and innovation network) and accredited private K-12 schools in Marion County. Prevention Matters funding is projected to serve 180 Indianapolis schools delivering proven prevention programs to 83,390 students by the 2020-2021 school year.
Grants were awarded in two stages:
Planning grants of up to $40,000 were made available to Marion County schools to learn more about evidence-based prevention programs and develop detailed plans for effective implementation. Planning grants were awarded on a non-competitive basis, meaning that all schools that met eligibility criteria and applied received a planning grant.
Planning grant recipients were eligible to apply for three years of funding to implement their plan for an evidence-based prevention program. This stage was competitive, meaning that grants were awarded selectively to schools that developed a comprehensive and realistic plan to implement prevention programs and sustain these programs long-term.
The Foundation connected planning grant recipients with prevention experts who provided free, step-by-step guidance to help: 1) identify the proven prevention program that best meets the needs of each applicant’s students, staff and school environment and 2) develop a plan for sustainable implementation.
In their applications, successful Prevention Matters implementation grant recipients:
For more information about the planning and implementation grant application and selection process, please see the Request for Proposals.
Forty-four schools received planning grants in March 2018 and were provided access to expert assistance to help develop detailed plans for implementing evidence-based prevention programs.
Twenty-nine applicants received implementation grants in 2018 to deliver proven prevention programs in their schools.
For a summary of the grantees that were awarded an implementation grant, please see the list of Prevention Matters Implementation Grant Award Recipients.
This document provides a detailed overview of the Prevention Matters initiative and grant application instructions.
This document addresses many questions applicants may have about the Prevention Matters initiative.
This document, created by the Indiana Prevention Resource Center, describes the approved evidence-based substance use prevention programs for Prevention Matters. A stand-alone table of approved programs is available here, and an Excel version, which allows sorting and filtering, is available here. A table describing how approved programs align with Indiana state standards is available here.
This document provides technical guidance for the Prevention Matters online application portal.
This document provides school leaders, teachers and other potential applicants with a brief overview of Prevention Matters.
This document provides school leaders, teachers and other potential applicants with a brief overview of Prevention Matters.
This document will help schools communicate with parents about Prevention Matters.
This resource links to a recorded webinar designed to help School Corporations and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis navigate the Prevention Matters application process.
This resource links to a recorded webinar designed to help Charter School Networks, Private School Organizations and Individual, Single-Site Schools navigate the Prevention Matters application process.
This document provides a detailed overview of the timeline associated with the Prevention Matters grant application process.
This resource includes sample social media posts and other communications tools for Prevention Matters.
Additional questions may be directed to Foundation staff at PreventionMatters@rmff.org or 317-663-4185.