The Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) advances the Parker administration’s goals of public safety and community well-being by reforming Philadelphia’s criminal and juvenile justice systems. We advance collaborative and data-driven strategies that:
Foster meaningful community partnerships.
Identify and break down barriers to racial equity.
Increase opportunities for diversion away from the justice system.
OPS Announces Open Application for 2027 Cycle of $25M City Grant Program
The application period is now open for four Office of Public Safety Grants! Those grants are the Targeted Community Investment Grant (TCIG), the Community Capacity Grant (CCG), the Community Expansion Grant (CEG), [those three are collectively known as the City’s Anti-Violence Community Partnership Grants], and the Safety Through Care grant (STC) [formerly the Overdose Prevention & Community Healing fund (OPCH)]. Organizations in Philadelphia engaged in prevention or intervention work focused on violence or substance misuse can apply for grants from $10,000 to $1 million. Funding is available through the grants at various amounts to align with organizational experience and program scope:
TCIG ($10,000, $25,000, $40,000, $50,000) provides grants to new and growing organizations offering summer programming. Programs may be summer-long programs, single events, or a series of one-time events occurring during the grant period, June through September.
CCG($75,000) supports organizations that have been a TCIG grantee within the past three cohorts and are ready to expand their capacity with larger awards over a longer grant period, March through December.
STC($150,000) funds ten organizations that work to address substance misuse. These organizations will receive specialized technical assistance and become tertiary distributors of Narcan during the grant period, January through December.
CEG($100,000, $250,000, $500,000, $750,000, $1,000,000) is designed for mid-sized, established organizations with demonstrated capacity to implement larger-scale programming and achieve measurable community impact. Funded organizations must offer programming for at least nine months of the grant period, January through December.
Eligible applicants include:
Individuals
Nonprofits
Fiscally sponsored organizations
LLCs
S-Corps
B-Corps
Updates to the application and grants have been designed to improve accessibility for smaller and grassroots organizations, better align funding with organizational capacity, and provide a clear pathway for growth across all funding levels.
Additionally, this year’s funding cycle updates reflect feedback from partners and stakeholders to ensure a clear, aligned approach and consistent messaging across the application, review, and implementation process.
What are OPS grants?
The Office of Public Safety grant program funds community-based violence and substance misuse prevention and intervention programs that improve public safety, increase opportunities for self-development and care, and build a stronger sense of community throughout neighborhoods most impacted by gun violence and substance misuse.
OPS grantees use trauma-informed approaches to gun violence and substance misuse, build resiliency in their communities, mediate conflicts, and promote social or economic empowerment. Examples of past programs include, but are not limited to:
Resource fairs
Outreach events
Job training and career development
Neighborhood and community beautification
Education events and workshops
Community engagement
How can I apply?
The common application for all four grants opensFriday, August 28, 2026, at 12:00 PM. The application period closes on September 28, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
Information Sessions will be held virtually to support applicants throughout the process. Sessions will be offered on the following dates:
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 6:00 PM
Tuesday, September 8, 2026 12:00 PM
Thursday September 10, 2026 6:00 PM
Monday, September 14, 2026 6:00 PM
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 12:00 PM
Tuesday, September 22, 2026 6:00 PM
Thursday, September 24, 2026 12:00 PM
Monday, September 28, 2026 12:00 PM
To learn more about the grants, you can register for an info session and apply online.
Philadelphia Peacekeepers Institute – Cohort 3 Announcement
The Institute
The Office of Public Safety, in partnership with The Roca Impact Institute, is launching Cohort 3 of the Philadelphia Peacekeepers Institute, an intensive 8-week professional development training program for community violence intervention (CVI) professionals working in the field.
The Peacekeepers Institute is the first in the nation built around Roca’s Rewire CBT, a cognitive behavioral intervention designed to equip frontline staff to help high-risk individuals learn and practice the lifesaving skills they need to heal from trauma and make healthier choices.
The 8-week curriculum was built to reflect the real needs of Philadelphia’s CVI field practitioners. Participants will engage in rigorous learning that will expose them to best practices, equip them with concrete tools for the day-to-day work, help them understand and manage trauma, and create a professional network and supportive community within Philadelphia’s CVI ecosystem.
Curriculum Topics
Rewire CBT and Trauma Responsive Strategies
Professional Standards of Practice for CVI
Outreach, Engagement, & Relationships
How to be an Effective Case Manager and Advocate
Supervision and Support
How to Tell Your Story
Stop the Bleed + Narcan Training
History of CVI in Philadelphia
Cohort 3 Details
Dates: Tuesdays, October 13th – December 8th, 2026 Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Location: The Braid Mill, 441 High Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144 Cost: Participation is at no cost to selected participants
Key Partners
Host: City of Philadelphia Office of Public Safety (OPS)
Implementation & Curriculum Partner: Roca Impact Institute
Evaluation Partner: Black and Brown Collective
Cohort 3 Eligibility
In Cohort 3, the Philadelphia’s Peacekeepers Institute is inviting Philadelphia-based community violence intervention organizations, including community- and hospital-based violence intervention programs, to express interest in nominating eligible frontline staff.
The Institute is designed specifically to support the learning of CVI professionals working in the field, directly with high-risk individuals. This includes, but is not limited to:
Outreach workers
Case managers
Field supervisors
Hospital-based violence intervention staff
After the interest period closes, organizations will be notified of their eligibility and, if eligible, invited to nominate staff members who meet the Institute’s criteria. All interested organizations are encouraged to attend a virtual info session and submit an interest form.
Interested in Nominating Staff?
Organizations should complete the Cohort 3 Interest Form by Friday, September 4 at 5:00 pm.
Organizations interested in learning more about the Institute, eligibility requirements, or the nomination process are invited to attend a virtual information session.
