End Community Violence Now grant info session set June 25

End Community Violence Now Delaware is accepting applications for its pilot grant program supporting organizations that are working to reduce gun violence across the state.

Eligible applicants include nonprofits, state agencies and educational institutions serving the state of Delaware. Applications must include programming with a strong focus on community violence intervention and/or prevention, and have a clear implementation and evaluation plan. The deadline to apply is Thursday, July 31. Grants range between $25,000 and $100,000, in three categories: capacity building, program expansion, and data and evaluation.

“Delaware’s gun violence crisis demands bold, community-driven solutions,” said Lauren Footman, executive director of End Community Violence Now. “Through this pilot grant program, we are investing directly in the people and organizations who are doing the work on the ground — those closest to the pain and the power to drive change. By supporting prevention, intervention, and data-driven strategies, we aim to save lives and build safer, more resilient communities across our state.”

ECVN will host an optional virtual information session at 2 p.m., Wednesday, June 25, to walk applicants through the process and eligibility requirements, and answer questions live. There will also be an optional virtual research and evaluation training session at 11 a.m., Wednesday, July 9, covering goals, outputs, outcomes, and metrics, to help organizations prepare their grant applications. The virtual sessions will be recorded and shared on ECVN’s website within 72 hours.

The grant application was launched in June, during Gun Violence Awareness Month, in an effort to better reach organizations committed to addressing the gun violence crisis in Delaware. Across the state, one person is killed every three days by a firearm, with gun homicides disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. For example, Black people in Delaware are 15 times more likely to die by gun homicide compared to their white counterparts. In 2022, young Black males ages 15-34, who make up just 6 percent of Delaware’s population, accounted for 46 percent of all gun homicide deaths in the state.

In addition to up to $100,000 in grant funding, recipients will also have access to training, evaluation support and ongoing guidance; be able to join a community of violence intervention and prevention specialists to exchange ideas and scale impact; and learn how to build data capacity to effectively measure and demonstrate outcomes.

To learn more, go to ecvndelaware.org or email grants@ecvndelaware.org.