DEVELOPED BY NASHVILLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PROPOSED BY THE SOUTHERN MOVEMENT COMMITTEE
The Varsity Spending Plan is a $10 million investment in young people, families, and neighborhoods in Nashville that builds safer communities, addresses gun violence, and reduces our reliance on arrests, courts, and jails.
IN THE NEWS
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News Channel 5
Dec 9
Nashville launches Office of Youth Safety to tackle gun violence and promote conflict resolution
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News Channel 2
December 2
Southern Movement Committee looks forward to new ‘Office of Youth Safety’
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The Tennessean
December 2
New city office continues Nashville youth's legacy of charting new paths
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Fox 17
October 21
City leaders work to launch Office of Youth Safety in Nashville to combat gun violence -
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Scoop Independent News
October 4
The legacy of slavery, segregation, white supremacy, and environmental racism haunts Tennessee. “A long history of anti-worker policies in the South—rooted in a racist agenda—has had devastating consequences for its residents.
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![Yes! Magazine]()
Yes! Magazine
OCTOBER 4
Cop Cities Meet Growing Resistance Nationwide
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The Tennessean
AUGUST 14, 2024
Dozens of young people lined up on a night in early June to voice their support before the Metro Council for funding to make Nashville communities safer, curb gun violence and reduce arrests.
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This Is Nashville
AUGUST 13, 2024
You've seen them around town, organizing Black Nashvillians to become greater participants in local, state and national governments. They are not the only organization in town to do this work, but they are one of the most effective....
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Tennessee Tribune
JULY 1, 2024
The Southern Movement Committee (SMC) celebrates encouraging news, as Metro Budget Chair Delishia Porterfield allocated $1 million to SMC’s proposed Varsity Spending Plan in her substitute budget that went into effect July 1.
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News Channel 2
JUNE 19, 2024
Addressing youth safety in Nashville
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News Channel 5
JUNE 19, 2024
What began as a dream and evolved into a proposal has now become a tangible reality for the youth of Nashville. The city is set to establish an Office of Youth Safety, aimed at protecting children from violence.
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News Channel 2
JUNE 13, 2024
The Southern Movement Committee is a democracy building, youth organizing, and community organizing organization focusing on TN, so right now our base is in Nashville. We organize young people around the end of the school-to-prison pipeline and really foster safe and healthy communities
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Tennessee Tribune
JUNE 13, 2024
Black Nashville Assembly (BNA), an extension of the Southern Movement Committee (SMC), is hosting its first family fun field day on June 15 to promote community togetherness.
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Nashville Banner
JUNE 11, 2024
Youth Violence Advocates Put Budget Ideas Front and Center
Varsity Spending Plan’ seeks $10 million for programs in schools and community centers aimed at cutting gun violence
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WPLN
JUNE 7, 2024
Nashvillians gathered at city hall to share their desires for the city budget with Metro councilmembers, one ask stood high above the rest: the Varsity Spending Plan.
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The Tennessean
JUNE 6, 2024
Nashville youth delivered a consistent message to Metro Council members during Tuesday's public hearing on the city budget: They want investments in community centers, an Office of Youth Safety and restorative justice programs in schools to address gun violence.
EMAIL YOUR CITY COUNCIL PERSON
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Community Center Programming
$4 million to increase community center programming (and a restorative justice person on staff) at community centers located in areas impacted by harm and the criminal legal system.
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Restorative Justice
$2 million for a comprehensive restorative justice program in neighborhood high schools impacted by harm and the criminal legal system.
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Office of Youth Safety
$4 million to create an Office of Youth Safety that is responsible for piloting a non-police and non-courts alternatives to jails and police to address gun violence, prevent harm, and foster safe communities.
THE PROCESS
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Since 2020 our members have organized and mobilized community members for a people centered budget that invests in housing, community driven public safety, and education.
We have held teach-ins, mass meetings, and city council watch dinners to increase public awareness around the city budget.
We’ve used People’s Movement Assemblies and community surveys to determine community member’s budget priorities.
We’ve mobilized community members to speak out and demand a People’s Budget.
Since last Fall we’ve been working with community members to develop a Varsity Spending Plan that prioritizes investments in young people, families, and neighborhoods to build safer communities.
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Through a series of People's Movement Assemblies and campaign meetings we used participatory budgeting to determine community members’ budgetary priorities. Members of our Youth Assembly and the Black Nashville Assembly discussed the issues in their community and voted for programs and budgetary investments to address those issues.
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We need systemic change and significantly more investments to address the root causes of harm in our communities. The Varsity Spending Plan is a move in the right direction to build safer communities that are not reliant on arrests, courts, and jails.
To ensure the success of the Varsity Spending Plan, the programs must be implemented by community-based public entities - not nonprofits or private organizations - with oversight from the community members impacted by targeted policing, incarceration, and harm.
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Sign the petition
Share the petition on social media
Sign up to Volunteer with the Varsity Spending Plan Campaign
HOW THE BUDGET WORKS
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Property Taxes
Local Option Sales Tax
Grants and Contributions
Other Revenues
Source: https://www.nashville.gov/departments/finance/management-and-budget/citizens-guide-budget
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Carceral (police, sheriff, and jails) - $546 per resident
Health - $163 per resident
Housing - $42 per resident
Library - $51 per resident
Parks/Rec - $76 per resident
Transportation - $266 per resident
Source: https://nationalequityatlas.org/us-carceral-spending/dashboard
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Step 1 - Departments present a recommended budget to the Mayor's Office
Step 2 - The Mayor’s Office makes changes and combines proposed department budgets to make the Mayor’s proposed Budget
Step 3 - City Council receives the Mayor’s Proposed Budget and get’s the opportunity to amend or recreate the budget
Step 4 - City Council holds a Public Hearing based on the Budget
Step 5 - City Council votes on the Mayor's proposed Budget, which includes the City Council changes. If it passes, a New Budget is adopted. If it fails the Mayor’s proposed budget automatically becomes the city’s New Budget.
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WELCOME TO THE TEAM!
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