ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orange County Sheriff's Office is holding applications for community groups that are looking for funding. These awards are due to seized contraband assets held in the sheriff’s law enforcement trust fund. They’re called forfeiture funds.

What You Need To Know

  • Police agencies seize funds in relation to criminal investigations

  • State law requires agencies to keep it, sell it or donate it, and use any funds collected towards crime prevention

  • In the last four years, one Orange County nonprofit has received $37,000 dollars in forfeiture funds to pour back into students

State law requires agencies to keep it, sell it or donate it, and use any funds collected towards crime prevention.

OCSO said its 2024 Community Crime Prevention Award Program will distribute a total of $250,000 in awards.

2024 applications are open until Dec. 31 with projects that support violence reduction, prevention programs and drug abuse education.

The sheriff’s office said they’ll announce the organizations that have been selected for an award in March.

Earlier this year, the OCSO distributed its 2023 community crime prevention awards, giving out 34 grants for a total of $220,295.

Before funds are released, awards must be ratified by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners.

In the last four years, one Orange County nonprofit has received $37,000 dollars in forfeiture funds to pour back into students.

Those funds are having an impact on teens in the Pine Hills community, and they’re also being invested in the nonprofit’s largest after-school program at Evans High School.

“Without this organization, I’m not really sure what I’d be doing right now,” said Anthony Jackson, who was setting up a workshop on gang resistance.

He’s gone on college tours, and learned about his interests thanks to the United Foundation of Central Florida’s after-school program called Future Leaders United.

It’s an intervention and education program to develop leaders.

Sandra Fatmi-Hall, the executive director of United Foundation of Central Florida, is applying for funds once again.

For Fatmi-Hall, these funds help sustain her organization.

“Just think of that, the illegal activities where it could’ve led to, and look at the good that it’s doing, pouring into young people to help with scholarships to help bonding activities,” she said. “It’s helped us to go on trips.”

Leaders across the nonprofit hope to get forfeiture funds rewarded this coming year.