Everytown Community Safety Fund Announces $1.435 Million Investment in Community-Led Violence Prevention Across the Country

Eight Organizations Will Receive New Grants Totaling $325,000, Alongside Continued Investments in 24 Existing Grantees

Announcement Made At Inaugural Community Safety Fund Exchange In New York City, Supported By The National Football League

NEW YORK - Today, the Everytown Community Safety Fund, a program of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, announced $1.435 million in grants to support community-led violence prevention efforts across the country. The announcement was made at the inaugural Everytown Community Safety Fund Exchange in New York City, supported by the National Football League (NFL), which brought together community violence intervention practitioners, researchers, survivors, philanthropic partners, and public safety leaders to reflect on the field's progress, recognize community leaders, and discuss the investments needed to sustain violence prevention efforts.

"Across the country, community violence intervention organizations are doing the difficult, often unseen work of preventing shootings, reaching people at the highest risk, and helping communities heal," said Michael-Sean Spence, Managing Director of Community Safety Initiatives at Everytown for Gun Safety and founder of the Everytown Community Safety Fund. "We know that meaningful progress doesn't happen overnight, and it certainly doesn't happen without sustained investment in the people closest to the problem. These grants are about trusting community leaders, giving organizations the resources to grow, and ensuring that the progress we've made in community safety doesn't disappear when funding priorities shift."

2026 Support Grant Recipients

The Everytown Community Safety Fund is awarding $325,000 in new Support Grants to eight community-based violence intervention organizations across seven states. Each organization will receive a one-year grant of $25,000 or $50,000 to support its gun violence prevention work. The 2026 Support Grant recipients are:

• LiveFree Oklahoma - Tulsa, Oklahoma
• One City - Chicago, Illinois
• Tru2Life - Staten Island, New York
• Newark Community Street Team - Newark, New Jersey
• University of Pennsylvania Injury Science Center - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Inner City Innovators - West Palm Beach, Florida
• Black Youth Empowerment Network at Morehouse College - Atlanta, Georgia
• Healing Hurt People - Portland, Oregon.

In addition to the eight Support Grants, the Everytown Community Safety Fund is providing continued financial support to 24 organizations in its existing grantee network.

Inaugural Community Safety Fund Exchange Celebrates Community Safety Leaders

The grants were announced during the inaugural Everytown Community Safety Fund Exchange, supported by the NFL. The event brought together community-based violence intervention practitioners, researchers, funders, government leaders, and national partners to reflect on the evolution of the field, highlight the impact of strategic investment, and explore opportunities to strengthen and sustain community-based gun violence prevention efforts. The gathering highlighted the critical role of sustained investment and cross-sector partnerships in supporting community-based organizations working to prevent gun violence and save lives.

The Exchange also recognized leaders and partners who have made significant contributions to advancing community safety, including Dr. Chico Tillmon, executive director of CVI Leadership Academy at the University of Chicago Crime Lab and CSF Advisory Board, recipient of the Movement Builder Award. Dr. Shani Buggs, associate professor at the Department of Emergency Medicine at University of California - Davis and co-founder and advisory chair of the Black & Brown Collective for Community Solutions to Gun Violence is the recipient of the Visionary Award. Public Enemy is recipient of the Cultural Impact Award; and the Baltimore Ravens, recipient of the Impact Ally Award.

As cities across the country work to sustain recent progress in reducing gun violence, community-based violence intervention programs remain a critical component of a comprehensive approach to gun violence prevention. These organizations work directly with individuals at the highest risk of experiencing or perpetrating gun violence, using strategies including street outreach, violence interruption, hospital-based violence intervention, and youth development and mentorship to prevent shootings and connect individuals with critical resources.

Yet despite their essential role in preventing gun violence, many community-based organizations continue to face significant funding challenges, threatening their ability to retain staff, sustain programming, and build on years of progress. Since its inception in 2019, the Everytown Community Safety Fund has granted $16 million in support of 148 community-based violence intervention programs implementing promising strategies in 74 American cities. In addition to direct financial support, the Fund provides strategic resources, including peer convenings, capacity-building trainings, access to research and data, and support from Everytown staff and national partners.