The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) has announced that it will seek a second round of proposals from community-based organizations for seat belt education campaigns. Back in September 2012, RIDOT awarded three community-based organizations with seat belt education grants totaling $120,000. Over the next three years, RIDOT will award $1 million through this program.
To better explain the grant application process, RIDOT's Office on Highway Safety will host a pre-proposal meeting on Thursday, January 10, 2013 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Rhode Island Department of Administrations' Conference Room B, located at One Capitol Hill in Providence. A public workshop will follow on Thursday, January 17, 2013 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the South Providence branch of the Providence Public Library, located at 441 Prairie Avenue in Providence.
"We all know the importance of seat belt safety, but this program is designed to help us share this message with communities that are traditionally difficult to reach through typical channels," said RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis. "Thanks to our first round of grant recipients, we are educating a broader audience, and we hope to continue to do so through the expansion of this worthwhile program."
The seat belt education grant funds are provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) thanks to the passage of a primary seat belt law in 2011. The first three grant recipients, the Providence Community Library, Woonsocket's Connecting for Children and Families, and the Socio-Economic Development Center for Southeast Asians, were selected based upon the community-based programming they developed to help promote seat belt safety. RIDOT will utilize the same criteria when selecting grant recipients for this second round of awards.
In addition, RIDOT has been assisting several other community organizations with finalizing additional grant applications for awards under $5,000. So far, it has awarded grants to Oasis International and the Genesis Center, both located in Providence and Bruno United Futbol Club, located in Greenville.
Anyone with questions about the campaign should contact Elvys Ruiz at 401-222-3024, Ext. 4441 or via email to elvys.ruiz@dot.ri.gov. Individuals requiring interpreting or hearing-impaired services, please inform Mr. Ruiz at least 72 hours prior to the pre-proposal meeting or public workshop.
Contact: Heidi Gudmundson (401) 222-1362, Ext. 4009