CHICAGO - The Government Alliance for Safe Communities (GASC) announced the launch of a new $20 million grant initiative that will ensure the continued availability of public funding to support Community Violence Intervention work in the greater Chicago region.

Comprised of leadership and key representatives from funding agencies at the State, County and City, the GASC was formed in 2021 to strengthen the local community safety ecosystem. At the end of 2024, the GASC announced that $100 million in public funding for Community Violence Intervention (CVI) would be made available over the course of 2025. This goal is part of the cross-sector plan to scale and sustain funding for CVI services to meet the ongoing need and ensure continued impact in communities. 

“The GASC represents an unprecedented level of coordination, not only across government, but across key sectors in our region,” said Lanetta Haynes Turner, Chief of Staff for Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “We are working closely with key partners in philanthropic, business and non-profit communities to pool resources so that we can meet ambitious goals for improving community safety.”

“Alongside our partners, the GASC is committed to ensuring CVI programs remain a key feature of the local community safety ecosystem,” said Delrice Adams, Executive Director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. “This is a critical period for continued investment. While we are seeing gradual improvement in rates of gun violence, we must ensure sustainability to these lifesaving programs and maintain support for quality service.

Second Round of 2025 GASC funding

The Cook County Community Violence Intervention (CC-CVI) grant initiative, administered by the Cook County Justice Advisory Council, will fund an array of services including street outreach and case management for residents who are most at risk of being involved in instances of gun violence. The grant opportunity is open to community-based non-profit organizations that are located in and serving residents in eligible areas of Chicago and suburban Cook County. The key features including the application for the CC-CVI grant opportunity are aligned with the other CVI grant initiatives under the GASC.

“The CC-CVI grant initiative is a direct result of sustained collaboration among GASC agencies and it represents our commitment to innovation and supporting the success of community-based organizations,” said Avik Das, Executive Director of the Cook County Justice Advisory Council. “Rather than reinventing the wheel, we are streamlining the administration of public funding, leveraging best practices and integrating lessons learned from the administration of American Rescue Plan Act funding over the past three years.”

First Round of 2025 GASC Funding

The CC-CVI grant initiative will provide an additional $20 million in funding for CVI in 2025. This second round of GASC funding builds on the over $60 million in funding for CVI already awarded this year. The Reimagine Violence Prevention Services Program, run by the Illinois Department of Human Services, offered up to $46 million in funding to community-based organizations throughout Chicago and Greater Illinois that are addressing firearm violence in targeted areas.

“This investment represents a groundbreaking cross-sector alliance, driven by our shared commitment to confronting gun violence head-on,” said Quiwana Bell, Assistant Secretary of Firearm Violence Prevention at the Illinois Department of Human Services. “By expanding access to evidence-based services and support, we are collectively forging a path toward transformative change—one where every community can experience true safety, healing, and restoration.”

The City of Chicago launched two CVI grant initiatives that invest $14.4 million in Street Outreach Services and $1.5 million in Hospital-Based Violence Intervention (HBVI). The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), through the Lead Organization for Expanding Capacity for Street Outreach and Violence Interruption Services opportunity, awarded two organizations to manage a network of community-based organizations which effectively provide CVI services in 25 Chicago communities that are most impacted by violence. The HBVI initiative awarded three organizations to expand services to rapidly respond to survivors of acute violent injuries within hospital settings.

“The City's targeted approach to addressing violence through collaboration and partnership is leading to decreasing violent crime and helping communities heal,” said Deputy Mayor for Community Safety, Garien Gatewood.

“Evidence shows that violence can be reduced by addressing risk factors and promoting protective measures,” shared Dr. Olusimbo Ige, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. “We are investing in community violence intervention (CVI) programs because street outreach by credible messengers and behavioral science-informed interventions, help de-escalate stressful situations before they lead to violence. Through these violence intervention grants, we are able to support organizations that are working in communities to make our city safer for everyone.”

Since its inception in 2021, the GASC has stewarded over $350 million of public investments in community safety in the greater Chicago region. The GASC continues to work towards strengthening the community safety ecosystem, focusing on key areas including streamlining public funding and data collection, building cross sector partnership and providing responsive capacity building support to community-based organizations engaged in community safety work.

For funding opportunities and other information on GASC, visit ILGovAlliance.org.

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The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA): ICJIA is a state agency dedicated to improving the administration of criminal justice. ICJIA brings together key justice system leaders and the public to identify critical criminal justice system issues and to propose and evaluate policies, programs, and legislation that address those issues in a fair and equitable manner. The statutory responsibilities of ICJIA fall under the categories of grants administration, research and analysis, policy and planning, and technology.

Contact: Cristin Evans, Public Information Officer – cristin.evans@illinois.gov

Cook County Office of the President: Cook County is the second largest county in the United States representing 5.2 million residents in Illinois. The President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Cook County and oversees the Offices Under the President and presides as president of the Forest Preserves of Cook County.

Contact: Nick Mathiowdis, Press Secretary - nicholas.mathiowdis@cookcountyil.gov

Cook County Justice Advisory Council (JAC) coordinates and implements Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's criminal and juvenile justice reform efforts and community safety policy development. The mission of the JAC is to promote equitable, human-centered, community-driven justice system innovation and practice through rigorous stakeholder engagement, policy work, service coordination, and grantmaking that increases community safety and reduces reliance on incarceration.

Contact: Laura Grossman, Public Relations Specialist– laura.grossman@cookcountyil.gov

The Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP) within the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) was created in 2021 as a result of the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) which structured a comprehensive responding to the public health emergency of firearm violence in Illinois. Under the RPSA, OFVP increases community capacity to address the root causes of violence through funding, street outreach, case management and victim services, and youth development programs.

Contact: IDHS Press – DHS.Press@illinois.gov

The Mayor's Office of Community Safety (MOCS) is committed to investing intentionally in people and communities through the full force of government and a community-driven approach. It was established by Mayor Brandon Johnson to systemically promote community safety by addressing root causes and rapidly response to specific community safety challenges through trauma-informed and community-based interventions. In December 2023, MOCS launched the People's Plan for Community Safety, which addresses both the immediate and root causes of violence, focusing on high-opportunity neighborhoods and those most acutely impacted.

Contact: Mayor's Press Office - press@cityofchicago.org

The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH): through its Office of Violence Prevention and Community Safety Coordination Center, supports the implementation of Healthy Chicago 2025 and the People's Plan for Community Safety. This includes investments in street outreach, victim support, and intervention services. CDPH also works to improve City coordination strategies and response methods that address root causes such as trauma, community blight, and lack of opportunities.

Contact: media.cdph@cityofchicago.org

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