In 2021, the Washington Department of Commerce, hereafter called "COMMERCE,” launched the Washington Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention, hereinafter called “OFSVP.” Since it’s inception, OFSVP has distributed grant funds to communities throughout Washington state, supporting local initiatives aimed at preventing and addressing firearm violence. Through this process, we’ve discovered that community-driven solutions are the most effective in reducing crime and violence, and there’s a stronger desire at the grassroots community level to engage in collaboration to create safer neighborhoods and communities.
In 2022, the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched the Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI), allocating funds to support comprehensive, evidence-based violence intervention and prevention strategies designed to prevent and reduce violent crime in communities. These multidisciplinary strategies engage individuals and groups to prevent and disrupt cycles of violence and retaliation and connect individuals with community assets to deliver services that save lives, address trauma, provide opportunity, and mitigate the physical, social, and economic conditions that drive violence. Additional information on CVIPI can be found on the U.S. DOJ website.
In 2023, COMMERCE received $4,000,000 in funding to strategically expand and enhance proactive, purposeful, culturally relevant, community-based violence intervention and prevention services statewide. To further this initiative, COMMERCE is initiating this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit proposals from entities interested in building regional capacity to reduce gun violence, directly impacting the safety and well-being of their communities by forming Community Safety Councils (CSCs). The selected Proposers will assemble a CSC to steer local violence reduction efforts, including conducting a landscape analysis and designing a violence reduction plan. To support the formation of these councils and the creation of a violence reduction plan, Proposers can apply for up to $100,000. This initial funding will allow Proposers to lay the groundwork for transformative change within their communities.
Additionally, COMMERCE will provide funding of up to $275,000 to support the implementation of violence reduction plans that meet the standards outlined by COMMERCE. These plans will be based on the guiding principles of CVIPI as set forth by the U.S. DOJ: community-centered, evidence-informed, equitable, inclusive, effective, and sustainable. Upon approval of these plans, the Proposers will be responsible for passing funds through to program implementers and providing ongoing monitoring and support.
CSCs will be comprised of up to 12 members, representing a diverse group of individuals from various sectors, disciplines, and interests relevant to firearm violence prevention and intervention. Operating at the neighborhood, city, county or regional level as appropriate, CSCs will receive funding to:
- Collaborate with community violence intervention (CVI) experts provided by COMMERCE to conduct a landscape analysis that includes:
- A comprehensive understanding of the nature, patterns, and root causes of violence within the community through collaborative, mixed-method data collection and analysis.
- An asset map of local organizations, resources, and community features that can be leveraged toward reducing violence.
- An inventory of existing violence prevention and intervention services, identifying strengths, gaps and weaknesses.
- Assess the existing public safety landscape and identify any barriers hindering cross-system collaboration, along with strategies to address them.
- Create a culturally-relevant and inclusive strategic plan supported by the community to build violence prevention and intervention capacity and expand programs as needed.
- Gather community input related to community violence intervention and prevention
- Participate in technical assistance and training related to community violence intervention including, but not limited to, CVI history, principles and evidence-informed interventions.
- Administer subawards to nonprofit organizations, local government agencies, Tribes and other qualifying entities to support the implementation and expansion of violence intervention and prevention programs tailored to the specific needs of their communities, guided by COMMERCE and the CVIPI subcommittee.
For this funding opportunity, priority will be given to the following underinvested counties and communities: Snohomish County, Grant County, Pierce County, Yakima County, Spokane County, Clark County, and the Tri-Cities area (Benton County and Franklin County). The distribution of seven awards under this NOFO will be exclusive to these communities and counties. COMMERCE intends to award seven contracts, one in each area listed above, to provide the services described in this NOFO. One award will be issued to any federally-recognized Tribe located anywhere in the state of Washington.