Harrisburg, PA - As part of the Shapiro-Davis Administration’s commitment to making communities safer and reducing violence, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) today invited organizations working to address the epidemic of gun violence to apply for $40 million in state grant funding.
PCCD’s School Safety and Security Committee today approved opening the application period for a new round of Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) grants, which will prioritize projects focused on effective intervention and prevention strategies to stop gun and group-related violence.
“This summer I visited with a number of organizations across the Commonwealth that have received VIP grants,” said Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, who serves as PCCD chair. “I was impressed with how impactful these organizations have been and continue to be in their communities. They are doing important work, and the VIP program is an essential part of addressing the epidemic of gun violence and making our communities safer.”
This competitive funding solicitation contains two tracks applicants can submit proposals for:
Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Grants
Under this application track, eligible applicants can request funding for a wide range of programs that address community violence and prevention efforts. Maximum award amounts for FY 2023-24 VIP Grants will be based on applicants’ current operating budgets, with no applicant able to request more than 50 percent of their operating budget, up to $950,000 total.
Coordinated Community Violence Intervention (CCVI) Strategies Projects
The CCVI initiative invests in collaborative community violence prevention and response strategies within focused service areas. Grants will support local planning and implementation of short-term intervention, mid-term prevention, and long-term transformation strategies designed to increase local coordination to more effectively prevent, intervene, and respond to gun and group-related violence. PCCD anticipates selecting two or three applicants seeking funding to support comprehensive CCVI Strategies projects. Applicants are eligible to request up to $3 million in total funding to support planning and implementation of these projects.
Contingent upon availability and authorization of funds, applications awarded for both tracks will be up to 36-month projects with an anticipated start date of April 1, 2024 and end date of March 31, 2027.
Eligible applicants include community-based or nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, institutions of higher education, municipalities, counties, and district attorney’s offices. Applicants have until Thursday, January 18, 2024, to apply for funding using the electronic submittal form in SurveyMonkey. Questions regarding this solicitation and the application process should be forwarded to ra-cd-vipgrants@pa.gov by close of business on Tuesday, January 16, 2024.
Interested applicants are invited to attend virtual webinars hosted by PCCD on December 14 at 2 PM relating to the VIP grant funding and on December 15 at 11 AM focused on the CCVI Strategies track. These webinars will provide an overview of the FY 2023-24 VIP solicitation, funding priorities and requirements, tips for navigating the application process and answer technical questions from potential applicants.
Interested applicants can find more information on funding requirements and how to apply on PCCD’s active funding announcements and gun violence grants and funding webpages.
Learn more about PCCD’s initiatives to combat gun violence by visiting our website.
MEDIA CONTACT: Ali Gantz - algantz@pa.gov
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