Office of Public Safety Hosts Second Annual Anti-Violence Community Partnership Grant Program Conference

The conference brings together grantees for two days of networking, learning, and celebration

PHILADELPHIA– The Office of Public Safety’s Anti-Violence Community Partnerships Grant (AVCPG) program, a vital part of the Parker’s administration’s violence prevention strategy, hosted its second annual AVCPG Conference. This two-day event was designed to foster community and collaboration among the 147 grantees, all of which are engaged in life-saving violence prevention work across the city.

The event was completely free of charge to grantees and included panel discussions, presentations from experts in the violence prevention field, and guest speakers, including Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, Councilmember Jamie Gauthier – 3rd District, Chief Public Safety Director Adam Geer, and more. Grantees also had the opportunity to connect with each other in breakout groups organized by neighborhood to learn more about their work and encourage future collaboration. By making the event free and located in the city, The Office of Public Safety (OPS) demonstrated the Parker Administration’s commitment to removing barriers to travel and professional development programs that many organizations face in seeking to improve performance.

“On top of the City’s financial investment in these grassroots programs and services that are critical to making Philadelphia the safest, cleanest, and greenest big city in America, we are also supporting their development as community champions through this entirely City-produced grant conference,” said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. “We’re proud of these investments and excited that there will be an increase in funding for this work to $30 million next year, which speaks to the demonstrable impact and effectiveness of these efforts.”

This past year, the Anti-Violence Community Partnership Grant program awarded 147 grantees nearly $24 million in two-year grant funding for initiatives that address violence prevention, expand community capacity, and target investments that create a lasting impact in Philadelphia. The program is designed to restore dignity, opportunity, and safety to communities most impacted by gun violence. Through intentional investment in smaller, grassroots organizations and offering wraparound technical assistance, OPS is not just funding programs, it is expanding Philadelphians’ ability to drive sustainable change in their own neighborhoods.

“When I look out into this room I don’t see hundreds of individuals, I see the thousands of people you represent standing behind you in the organizations you lead, doing the work on the ground driving sustainable change to make our communities safer, one individual, family or block at a time,” said Adam Geer, Chief Public Safety Director, Office of Public Safety. “It speaks volumes that your daily lives are committed to this mission, and on top of that you are here learning new skills, developing new resources, making new connections to expand your collective impact as a community. Your commitment is inspiring to all of us in City leadership to keep moving the needle forward to reduce violence.”

“I commend our Anti-Violence Community Partnerships Grant partners — the leaders, residents, and organizations doing the hard work day in and day out to prevent violence and foster peace in our neighborhoods,” said Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson. “As a leader in City Council and City government working to reduce gun violence and overall violence impacting Philadelphia, I understand that the City’s investment in grassroots organizations has been crucial in helping our city move closer to becoming a city of peace not guns. On behalf of the City Council, thank you to the grantees for leading with compassion, courage, and consistency. ”

The AVCPG has three funding tiers:

• Targeted Community Investment Grant (TCIG) program: TCIG funds community-based violence prevention programs and activities that improve public safety, increase opportunities for self-development and care, and build a stronger sense of community in neighborhoods most impacted by gun violence. Funding awards range from $1,500 to $50,000.
• Community Capacity Grant (CCG) program: The newest of the three grant programs, CCG is an invitation only funding level for experienced TCIG grantees who have shown excellence during the granting process. CCG award amounts range from $50,000 to $100,000. CCG grantees have access to customized training to assist them in sustainably scaling up their programs to the level of a Community Expansion Grant.
• Community Expansion Grant (CEG) program: CEG funds and supports organizations that focus on reducing violence through trauma-informed healing, restorative practices, safe havens, and mentorship. Award amounts range from $100,000 to $1 million.

Grantees in all three tiers of the program receive technical assistance from trusted City partners, guaranteeing these organizations can effectively serve their community and scale up when ready. To date, the Office of Public Safety has funded over 200 organizations, since the program was founded in 2019.

Organizations interested in applying for the next round of two-year grant funding should attend a future information session to learn relevant deadlines in advance of the applications. Sessions will be hosted virtually and can be tracked on the OPS grant website.