PENNSYLVANIA — The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) has announced a $40 million state grant funding opportunity for organizations actively working to address the ongoing gun violence epidemic. The application period for the new round of Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) grants, which will focus on effective strategies to combat gun and group-related violence, is now open.
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, who serves as PCCD chair, praised the impact of the VIP grants, saying, “This summer I visited a number of organizations across the Commonwealth that have received VIP grants. 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.”
The funding solicitation involves two tracks for which applicants can submit proposals:
- Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Grants: These grants are available for a wide range of programs focused on community violence prevention efforts. The maximum award for FY 2023-24 VIP Grants will depend on applicants’ operating budgets, with no applicant able to request more than 50 percent of their budget, up to a total of $950,000.
- Coordinated Community Violence Intervention (CCVI) Strategies Projects: This initiative invests in collaborative community violence prevention and response strategies within specific service areas. It supports local planning and implementation of short, mid, and long-term strategies to prevent, intervene, and respond to gun and group-related violence. PCCD expects to select two or three applicants seeking funding for comprehensive CCVI Strategies projects, with each eligible to request up to $3 million.
Both tracks offer up to 36-month projects, with an anticipated start date of April 1, 2024, and an 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. The deadline to apply for funding via the electronic submittal form in SurveyMonkey is Thursday, January 18, 2024.
PCCD will host virtual webinars on December 14 and 15 to provide an overview of the FY 2023-24 VIP solicitation, funding priorities and requirements, and tips for navigating the application process.
For more information on funding requirements and how to apply, interested applicants can visit PCCD’s active funding announcements and gun violence grants and funding webpages.
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