HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) has extended the deadline for eligible entities to apply for Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) grant funding. Nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, municipalities, counties, and district attorney’s offices now have until January 31, 2024, to submit their applications.
This announcement comes as part of the broader Shapiro-Davis Administration’s commitment to making communities safer and reducing violence. The PCCD is inviting organizations that are actively working to address the epidemic of gun violence to apply for a share of $40 million in grant funding.
The urgency of this initiative cannot be understated. The surge in gun violence poses a significant threat to public safety and the well-being of communities across Pennsylvania. By providing financial support to organizations on the front lines of violence prevention and intervention, the state is taking an important step toward mitigating this crisis.
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, who serves as PCCD chair, voiced his support for the VIP initiative, stating, “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.”
The VIP grant funding offers two application tracks: Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Grants and Coordinated Community Violence Intervention (CCVI) Strategies Projects.
VIP Grants will fund a wide range of programs aimed at addressing community violence and prevention efforts. The 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 annual operating budget, up to $950,000 total.
The CCVI initiative, on the other hand, will invest 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.
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 an end date of March 31, 2027.
The extension of the application deadline aims to underscore the state’s commitment to fostering a comprehensive, collaborative approach to addressing gun violence. By providing funding that supports a broad range of initiatives, from early intervention programs to long-term violence prevention strategies, Pennsylvania is making a crucial investment in the safety and well-being of its communities.
Nonprofit groups with 501(c)(3) status, along with higher education institutions, municipalities, counties, and district attorney’s offices, now have until Wednesday, January 31, 2024, to submit funding applications using the electronic form provided by SurveyMonkey.
Those who are interested in applying can access further details regarding funding requirements and application procedures on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s active funding announcements page, as well as their dedicated active funding announcements and gun violence grants and funding webpages for gun violence grants and funding.
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