Gun violence prevention group in Miami loses its federal funding
Surrounded by at least 100 people outside the Dr. Dorothy Bendross Mindingall Social-Economic Institute in Miami on Tuesday, Circle of Brotherhood executive director Lyle Muhammad said the nonprofit faced a major budget deficit and could be forced to end its operations.
The news comes two weeks after the crime prevention organization was among hundreds of nonprofits that received an email stating their federal grant funding would be cut. The Department of Justice sent the organization a letter on April 22 saying they were ceasing funding immediately. The Circle of Brotherhood, along with Urban League of Broward County, who had been the recipient of a $400,000 grant to prevent hate crimes, were among 365 nonprofits that had federal funding cuts.
The $2 million federal grant, which nonprofit received in 2023, was to be used for building out their community wellness and violence intervention program, including supporting staff, he said. The money was critical to their operation and now Muhammad doesn’t see a way forward. They were expecting a final payment of $600,000 this year.
On top of federal cuts, the organization is looking at a budget deficit of about $1.6 million.
Circle of Brotherhood has had other funding issues this year. In January, the organization had its county funding frozen for two weeks after Circle of Brotherhood and Neighbors and Neighbors Association packed a Miami-Dade County commission meeting to ask for more funding.
The cuts also mean layoffs for Circle of Brotherhood staff.
“I wanted you to hear each and every name of every staff member and their work and their position, because as of this moment, in this second right now, after this payroll,” he said at a press conference and rally, which included at least 10 speakers who’ve worked directly with the organization. “We got work to do.”
Muhammad said about 30 staffers will be affected by the funding cut. And the potential loss of the organization before summer, when cities typically see an uptick in crime.
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“The most detrimental thing about being gone right now is we’re just a few weeks before summer,” Muhammad said. “Everyone across the country knows that summer ramps up in terms of violence, and it looks like we may have to be forced to ramp down while crime and violence is ramping up.”
For Olivia Eason, the reduced funding hits close to home. Eason said she moved back to Miami after facing hardship and was able to find employment with the Circle of Brotherhood as one of their peacemakers, someone who works to deescalate crime in the communities Circle Of Brotherhood serves.
“I was born and raised in Overtown, and the things that I’ve witnessed as a little girl and growing up through so much trauma, it was like it was the perfect fit for me, even under the circumstances of my life being so upside down,” the mom of six told the Herald, “but it actually saved my life, because being able to get paid for what you do, it’s not work, it’s like a hobby. I don’t wake up feeling like I’m at work. I feel like I’m in purpose.”
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While Eason is concerned about how she’ll be able to pay rent and support her four daughters who live with her should the organization not make its $1.6 million goal, she’s also worried about those who rely on the Circle of Brotherhood for community work. She pointed to nonprofit’s The Sisterhood Wellness Circle, a weekly space where women can be vulnerable about their trauma and are provided with affirmations, as a way for residents to feel valued beyond their crime intervention work.
“This is about giving back at least what I got,” she said.
Community members expressed concern at the rally about the ramifications of such federal cuts, including Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, who works at the Circle of Brotherhood’s health and wellness department. “It’s important that we sent a clear message to the White House that the work that we do is extremely important to not only our young people but our community,” she said. “We have to make sure that we are putting people over profit.”
Armen Henderson, who founded the Dade County Street Response, emphasized that public safety is a health issue and the work of Circle of Brotherhood should be prioritized.
“To defund an organization like this, to defund organizations like this across the country sends a message that you don’t care about the safety of the public,” he said. “Public safety is more than just police officers in handcuffs and jails. It’s community rooted organizations like the Circle of Brotherhood that are going out there and also putting their lives on the line to make sure that our community is safe.”
Muhammad said his priority now is ensuring the organization raises the money it needs.
“There’s nothing else for us to do right now but fundraise,” he said. “I can’t send my staff out to do work if we don’t even know we’re going to be able to pay them to do this work that needs to be done. So that’s what we have to do. We’re in fundraising public awareness mode.”
This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 4:58 PM.
