The Stop the Violence 2023-2024 Grant Application is open!


The City of Pittsburgh invites community organizations to join our efforts to ensure peace and safety for our residents. A crucial component of Mayor Gainey's Plan for Peace, the Stop the Violence Community Investment Fund offers grant opportunities to organizations making significant contributions toward the City's Comprehensive Violence Intervention Strategies and working to end violence in Pittsburgh communities. This grant-based program supports groups that demonstrate the willingness to engage in deep partnerships with the City of Pittsburgh and other grantees and use their trusting relationships with community members at high risk to yield results.

Stop the Violence Community Investment Fund offers funding to organizations with programs that complement and advance the Pittsburgh Plan for Peace and Group Violence Intervention (GVI) prevention strategy. Grantee organizations must take proactive steps with individuals who exhibit one or more risk factors for violent behaviors and support those individuals to overcome violence and lead healthy, productive lives.

WHY IS THE CITY OFFERING THESE GRANTS?

The City of Pittsburgh seeks to eliminate violence among all age groups and within all neighborhoods. We understand that peace in our communities is possible only when everyone works together to make it happen. These grants offer additional resources to organizations and groups willing to lead the way.

The work focuses on a relatively small and active number of individuals involved in street-related violence, blending elements of two evidenced-based frameworks:

  • a focused deterrence-prevention model, and

  • the "Cure Violence" model.


Both models require extensive community collaboration to change norms and behaviors. Successful applicants must demonstrate comfortability working in the City's existing framework. For additional information on the City's efforts, click HERE.

WHAT KINDS OF PROJECTS WILL THE CITY FUND?

Projects must fit into one or more categories to receive funding:

  • Youth Development: Programs and services may include mentoring, behavioral health support, workforce development, academic support, creative arts, or sports targeted to 18 at high risk for violence.

  • Family Support: Community-based services that assist and support high-risk parents and caregivers in their role

  • Reentry and Transitional Services: Preparing inmates for success after returning home from incarceration and to develop as law-abiding citizens and obtain life-sustaining employment.

  • Mental/Behavioral Health Services and Supports: Culturally sensitive programs or services that enable adults at high risk to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community

  • Workforce Development: Education and training programs to maximize job success and career pathways for adults who demonstrate a history of violence or are at high risk of being involved in violence

  • Violence Interruption or Violence Mediation Programs: Evidence-based programs that use specialized outreach workers to mediate potentially violent conflicts before they lead to an act of violence

Ineligible expenses and projects:

  • Fundraising campaigns for an individual

  • Annual fundraising events

  • Lobbying/Advocacy

  • General social, recreational, or educational services not targeted to citizens at high risk

REQUIRED PROGRAM ELEMENTS

While we hope to fund a variety of projects, each proposal MUST include one or more of these program elements:

  • Engagement with community groups or faith communities to interact with high-risk individuals to reduce the risk factors for violence

  • Community engagement after violent incidents to reduce trauma and discourage future violence

  • Service to one or more groups of high-risk individuals, which may include those reentering the community from incarceration or those with other known risk factors, to facilitate successful futures and discourage violence

  • Fostering positive engagement with law enforcement officials to support their intervention in violent situations

  • Fostering the pursuit of law enforcement careers among underrepresented groups in the city

  • Remediation of trauma and normalization of mental health care

  • Ongoing support to populations reentering the community from incarceration

  • Assistance and modeling of the value of personal purpose and goals to create new positive identities for high-risk individuals

  • Communication of anti-violence or trauma remediation messages through social media

  • A working relationship with the city outreach contractor (currently Center That Cares)

ELIGIBILITY

Strong applicants should represent city-based organizations that currently experience high levels of violence, work to prevent violence, and require additional resources to further that work.

To apply, each organization MUST meet ALL of the following criteria:

  • Recognized as a 501(c)3 or have a letter of intent or other documented support from a recognized 501(c)3 fiscal sponsor

  • Operate their project within the City of Pittsburgh or serve individuals who live in the City of Pittsburgh

  • Demonstrate a clear understanding of the dynamics of local community violence

  • Experience implementing community programs that impact high-risk community members

  • Established relationships and trust among the people most impacted by/currently involved in violence

  • Demonstrated history of providing resources or programs to the target population within the proposed service area

  • Documented history as a communicative and accountable community partner in successful collaborations

All grantees must agree to participate in mandatory collaborative efforts: 

  • Periodic meetings with other Stop the Violence grantees in their police zone to share information, discuss strategies, seek opportunities for collaboration, and implement collaborative efforts where possible.

  • Cohort meetings organized by the city government and its partners, including other Stop the Violence grantees

  • Community meetings upon the request of the city government

  • Meetings with the police officers in the zone(s) included in their organizational service area(s)

  • Volunteers provided by the City of Pittsburgh officials and accept client or participant referrals from City offices

These requirements include the grantees’ participation in a minimum of two meetings per month during the grant period.

Organizations that receive 2023-24 grant awards and demonstrate successful implementation of their project/program, including successful collaborations, may apply for additional funding as available.

FUNDING LEVELS

  • Applicants may apply for a grant award between $15,000 to $90,000.

  • Applicants may expect to receive less than the entire amount requested. In that event, the organization may revise the final project goals and budget accordingly.

  • Grantees may expect to receive their award in February or March 2024 after completing and submitting all required documentation.

  • Grantees will receive access to technical assistance and cohort collaboration, activities, and events.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Ready to join our efforts to reduce violence and increase peace in Pittsburgh? Click the link below to find the complete application, specific instructions, and deadlines for submission to POISE.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2023, at 11:59 PM


QUESTIONS?

Contact Sarah Byrne-Houser, Program Officer for External Partnerships at POISE: sbyrne-houser@poisefdn.org