Grant Details

The purpose of the Community-Based Violence Intervention Program is to support non-profit community service providers in the development and implementation of violence intervention programming for communities impacted by higher than average rates of violence, with a focus on gun violence. Applicants may develop new initiatives or enhance already existing programs.

Community-Based Violence Intervention programs have reduced homicides by as much as 60% in communities where they were initiated. These programs employ community violence intervention strategies that provide alternatives to violence and embody a community-based public safety model.

This Program will support two areas of community violence intervention:

• Tertiary prevention (or violence intervention) strategies attempt to intervene with those already engaged in violent behavior or at high risk of violence due to past victimization or as a result of retaliation. Tertiary services include High Risk Intervention, Safe Passage, Intensive Mentoring for Individuals Recently exposed to Community Violence, Credible Messenger Services, Shooting Scene Response, and Street Outreach Teams. 
• Primary and/or secondary prevention
  • Primary prevention strategies typically address risk factors associated with violence in the general population. These approaches include community-wide impact and awareness efforts in communities that are disproportionality effected by gun violence, as well as individual- or group-related activities for populations at risk of gun violence. Primary prevention programs create safe spaces for all, provide pro-social activities, and help bring community together. These approaches increase crucial protective factors. 
  • Secondary prevention strategies focus on sub-populations with risk factors for future violence either as victims or perpetrators. Potential secondary prevention strategies may include, mentorship, skill-building in areas that promote protective factors, or restorative healing circles. Subpopulation focus on a secondary prevention model are those more acutely at risk for violence or recidivism due to the presence of one or more risk factors. 

Applications must indicate how their initiatives are community-driven and culturally responsive in their approach to reduce violence, particularly gun violence.