Grants for Violence Prevention

Community foundations have historically provided the lion’s share of private funding for violence prevention, with programs that supplement government efforts. Women’s funds and giving circles, often housed at community foundations, are also crucial in this space, such as the New York Women’s Foundation and the Women of Color United Giving Council. Private foundations and philanthropic LLCs are increasingly funding in this area through their criminal justice reform or racial justice portfolios. In addition, there are several collaborative funds working on violence prevention, including the California-focused Hope and Heal Fund and the national Fund for a Safer Future.

Where are violence prevention grants going?

Violence prevention funding largely focuses on the local level; however, several efforts also occur nationally, in particular, efforts surrounding advocacy and systems change. Grantmakers support conventional methods, such as services for survivors, as well as legal strategies, policy advocacy, research, narrative change, and intersectional, holistic approaches. Other grantmakers approach violence prevention through the lens of public health.

Thanks to the work of grassroots movements — and amid a “tough on crime” backlash — some funders are increasing support for approaches that focus not on punishment, but on what actually creates safe communities. This means grants for things like restorative justice programs, community development, programs for at-risk youth, alternatives to incarceration, services for the criminalized, and programs that address root causes of violence.

Gaps in violence prevention funding

Philanthropy for violence prevention is an evolving field. Historically and still today, most funders have focused on a specific area, such as addressing gender-based violence through grants for women and girls.

In recent years, there has been a shift toward more holistically addressing root causes of violence. “Some of the newer violence prevention methods are novel and emergent, including cognitive behavioral interventions and hospital-based violence prevention,” Katherine Don found in IP’s State of American Philanthropy report on Giving for Violence Prevention. And “funders are increasingly combining older methods—like providing counseling and temporary housing to survivors—with newer methods to end the cycle of abuse via cultural change, healing and community engagement.”

There is a dearth of dedicated funding for mental health and substance abuse programs, as well as those focused on Hispanic, Native American and immigrant populations affected by violence, IP found.

National / Multi-State Funders