$15M in Grant Funding for Violence Intervention and Prevention Work in NJ

Morris County, NJ - Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced on April 3, 2023, that 32 organizations will receive a total of $15 million in state and federal grant funding to support New Jersey's Community-Based Violence Intervention (CBVI) Program. The grants will help non-profit community service providers develop and implement violence intervention and prevention programs in communities affected by high rates of violence, particularly gun violence.

The CBVI program was initially funded as part of Governor Murphy's Fiscal Year 2022 budget, with an additional $10 million allocated for Fiscal Year 2023 and $5 million from federal American Rescue Plan funds. This latest investment brings the total CBVI commitment to $25 million across the last two state budget cycles.

Community violence intervention practitioners provide a range of services, including street outreach, counseling, mentoring, career development, cognitive behavioral therapy, case management, after-school programming, and community referrals. The grant funding will support interventionists who work to stop the escalation of violent acts, create safe pathways for students in crime-ridden areas, connect at-risk youth with trauma-informed services, and offer grief counseling for children of gun violence victims.

In September 2022, Attorney General Platkin established the Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance (VIVA) to provide a permanent structure for violence intervention programs and a trauma-informed approach to public safety. Together with the Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Programs (HVIP), CBVI marks a transformation in New Jersey's approach to public safety.

The CBVI funding will support 32 organizations implementing violence prevention and intervention services in 13 of New Jersey's 21 counties, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Coastal and Northern New Jersey, which serves Morris County. This grant builds upon previous efforts to reduce gun violence in the state and represents a significant component of the Murphy Administration's strategy to address the root causes of violent crime.