Harrisburg, PA - This week, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) announced the availability of $3.5 million in federal grant funding for local governments to address gun violence and improve responses to behavioral health crises within communities and the justice system.
“These funds – which are coming to Pennsylvania through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, signed into law by President Biden after the Buffalo and Uvalde mass shootings – will support evidence-based, community-focused efforts to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer,” said Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, who serves as PCCD chair. “The epidemic of gun violence is a uniquely American problem, but it’s one we can do something about. I encourage local leaders that are working on innovative solutions to this epidemic to reach out to PCCD for more information and apply for a grant.”
The competitive grant program is designed to support projects and programs that address at least one of the three priority areas listed below and their related objectives and approaches outlined in PCCD’s approved FY2022-23 Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program Funding Plan.
- Improve crisis intervention services and supports across behavioral health, civil legal, and other settings, with a focus on reaching people and communities experiencing gun violence.
- Improve coordination of services and responses to gun violence victimization.
- Address the intersections of domestic violence and intimate partner violence with gun violence.
"Keeping Pennsylvanians safe and healthy is a top priority of the Shapiro-Davis Administration,” said PCCD Executive Director Mike Pennington. “Gun violence impacts all communities across our Commonwealth— from large cities to small towns. By investing in local programs and initiatives, this grant program will help communities improve their capacity to respond to this crisis.”
Local units of government (counties, cities, townships, or towns) have until December 20, 2023 to apply for up to $200,000 in grant funding over a two-year project period. Questions regarding this solicitation and the application process should be forwarded to RA-PCCD-OCJSI@pa.gov by close of business on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.
Interested applicants are also invited to attend a virtual webinar on November 14 at 2 PM. This webinar will provide an overview of the FY 22-23 Byrne SCIP Local Solicitation, PCCD’s application process, and answer technical questions from potential applicants.
Applicants can find more information on funding requirements and how to apply on PCCD’s active funding announcements webpage.
This funding is made available through the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) which was authorized by the federal Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) of 2022, enacted in the wake of the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The BSCA included several provisions designed to address gun violence and improve responses to behavioral health crises.
Learn more about PCCD’s initiatives to combat gun violence by visiting our website.
###