The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is now accepting applications for the Virginia Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention (FVIP) Grant Program. The purpose of this initiative is to support the implementation of strategies that will result in reducing violent crime within the Commonwealth of Virginia while implementing effective and sustainable intervention and prevention programming to interrupt and prevent local cycles of violence. Projects funded under this program will support Operation Bold Blue Line, an initiative to fight violent crime by standing up for law enforcement and building meaningful partnerships with communities.

Through violence prevention and intervention programs, numerous states have seen significant reduction in firearm violence. Violence intervention and prevention programs avert interpersonal violence by working with a range of community stakeholders to provide support and intervention to those at highest risk for being a victim and perpetrator of violence.

The Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund was created by the Virginia General Assembly in Section 408 of Chapter 2 of the Acts of Assembly of the 2022 Special Session 1. This funding source “shall be used for the purpose of supporting gun violence intervention and prevention programs.” Such funds shall be made available “to agencies of local government, community-based organizations, and hospitals for the purpose of supporting implementation of evidence-informed gun violence intervention and prevention efforts, including street outreach, hospital-based violence intervention, and other violence intervention programs. Grant funds shall also support firearm suicide prevention and safe firearm removal practices from persons prohibited from possessing a firearm, including subjects of domestic violence protective orders”, persons convicted of prohibitory crimes, and persons subject to substantial risk orders