Newport News Accepting Applications for Gun Violence Intervention Program Grants

The City of Newport News has launched a grant program as part of the city's Gun Violence Intervention initiative. Grant funds will be awarded on a competitive basis to community-based organizations that offer programs, initiatives, or strategies to reduce gun violence.

"Through this collaborative program, we are partnering with community organizations that provide immediate interventions and long-term prevention strategies that address gun violence in our city," said Newport News Mayor McKinley L. Price. "Gun violence is a national public health crisis, and we are addressing it head on in Newport News. In addition to proposing public policy, we are investing in strategies that support the P.I.E.R. Model, which focuses on Prevention, Intervention, Enforcement, and Reentry. This proven model interrupts cycles of violence and creates safer, stronger communities."

Projects should support one of the following goals and objectives:

• Increase communication, coordination, and collaboration amongst city departments, community-based organizations, businesses, and other key stakeholders.
• Reduce the incidents of gun violence amongst youth and young adults between the ages of 13 and 24 through the implementation of innovative and technology-based prevention, intervention, enforcement, and re-entry strategies.
• Enhance and/or expand access to mental health services, education, and interventions that prevent and reduce violence.
• Decrease barriers (i.e., education, employment, and housing) to the successful reintegration of youth and young adults returning to the community from a secure juvenile detention facility.
• Increase community education, awareness, and engagement around gun violence reduction and its impact on individuals, families, neighborhoods, and broader communities.

Newport News began this process by partnering with the Center for Crime, Equity, and Justice Research and Policy at Christopher Newport University (CNU) to release a Community Assessment Survey. The goal of the survey was to understand the most pressing concerns around safety, the root causes of violence, and the effects of crime in the city. CNU will release the findings from the survey this summer.

"While we have the initial overview from CNU, which helped us create the framework of our grant program, we aren't waiting on the final report to launch the grant portal," said Mayor Price. "We want to invest in community-based organizations now, so we can begin to implement the solutions that will reduce gun violence and save lives."

New or existing businesses and non-profit organizations are invited to apply for funds between now and Friday, June 24 at 5 p.m. Organizations may collaborate with one another to leverage their experience and maximize resources. Grant awardees will be announced in July and programs will launch in August 2022. The grant portal can be accessed by visiting www.nnva.gov.

To support organizations interested in applying for available funds, the city is hosting a Pre-Application Session on Wednesday, May 25 from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the Brittingham-Midtown Community Center (570 McLawhorne Drive). During this meeting, city representatives will share information on the grant application and provide insight on funding priorities. The city is also hosting a Grants 101 Session on Wednesday, June 1 from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the Brittingham-Midtown Community Center to support organizations that have never responded to a grant application.

For more information on the city's Gun Violence Intervention Program, visit the Newport News Community Safety Initiative webpage.

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