TRENTON, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — New Jersey is opening up a competitive grant program for nonprofits in the state that are working toward reducing violence in their communities.
Gov. Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matt Platkin on Tuesday announced nearly $14.5 million is available for community-based violence intervention (CBVI) programs throughout the state.
Both say CBVI programs are proven to succeed when they have access to resources for targeted violence intervention at the neighborhood level through mentoring, counseling and trauma support.
Murphy says there’s no place for violence and that's why his administration has gone to great lengths to break cycles and ensure residents feel safe.
The state’s CBVI programs use a range of strategies, including neighborhood outreach led by credible messengers, mentorship, high-risk intervention and de-escalation services, safe passage for school children in high-crime areas, and case management, counseling, and trauma support.
Platkin says more than 1,000 people have already benefited from these services and this investment will deepen that work.
The maximum grant award for “tertiary service” programs, which provide the most immediate response to violence, is capped at $750,000. Organizations that provide primary or secondary services may apply for up to $500,000.
Community groups have until Oct. 21 to apply for funding which will begin in 2025.
The initiative is paid for with funding from the federal American Rescue Plan and the state’s Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Fund, which reinvests in communities most affected by cannabis criminalization, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
More information about this is posted on the New Jersey Attorney General website.