Community-based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative

The Washington State Department of Commerce's Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative is seeking funding proposals to establish Community Safety Councils aimed at reducing gun violence and enhancing community safety. This grant aligns with a mission to support comprehensive, evidence-based violence intervention and prevention strategies. These strategies are designed to prevent and reduce violent crime in communities, disrupt cycles of violence, address trauma, provide opportunities, and mitigate the underlying physical, social, and economic conditions that contribute to violence. The target beneficiaries for this initiative are under-invested counties and communities within Washington State. Specifically, priority will be given to Snohomish, Grant, Pierce, Yakima, Spokane, and Clark Counties, as well as the Tri-Cities area (Benton and Franklin Counties). Additionally, one award will be designated for any federally recognized Tribe located in Washington. The impact goal is to empower these communities to build regional capacity for violence reduction through local efforts steered by Community Safety Councils. The program's priorities and focuses include assembling Community Safety Councils to lead local violence reduction efforts. This involves conducting a landscape analysis to understand local conditions and designing a tailored violence reduction plan. The initiative emphasizes multidisciplinary strategies that engage individuals and groups to prevent and disrupt violence, while connecting them with community assets that deliver vital services. Expected outcomes include the establishment of robust regional capacities for gun violence reduction in the selected communities. Measurable results will stem from the efforts of the Community Safety Councils, which are tasked with developing and implementing specific violence reduction plans. The grants, available up to $100,000 each, will directly support these local efforts to reduce violent crime, address trauma, and foster safer environments. The foundation's strategic priorities are to prevent and reduce violent crime through community-based interventions. The theory of change posits that by investing in local entities to assemble Community Safety Councils, these communities will be better equipped to analyze their specific needs, design targeted interventions, and implement evidence-based strategies. This approach aims to disrupt cycles of violence, provide essential services, and ultimately improve the safety and well-being of residents.