Kaptur Announces $2 Million DOJ Award for Toledo Community Based Violence Intervention Prevention InitiativePress Release

Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) announced a $2 Million Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI) Site-Based award from the Department of Justice (DOJ) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) for the City of Toledo. This funding opportunity through the Department of Justice supports comprehensive, evidence-based efforts at reducing gun violence through partnership with community, local government, hospitals, victim service providers, law enforcement. The new funding will build on existing efforts to curb violence and identify gaps between high-risk populations and current community-based organization capacity. The award will provide training, technical assistance, and competitive subgrant and microgrant programs for individual and community-based organization crime prevention practitioners. This new funding follows $1.7 Million in Federal Justice awards for the City of Toledo announced by Congresswoman Kaptur in October 2024.

"As a lifelong resident of Toledo and Northwest Ohio, I know that over time our city and region have undergone many changes. In an evolving age of policing and justice initiatives, we need to adapt to new and advanced methods of crime prevention that are proven to work" said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09). "This federal funding I helped to secure through the Department of Justice will allow the City of Toledo, Mayor Kapszukiewicz, and the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement to reduce gun violence through partnership with community, local government, hospitals, victim service providers, and law enforcement. We must use every tool in our arsenal to address issues of public safety. I applaud the City of Toledo and Department of Justice for this innovative approach that aims to address these problems in our communities. By working together to address root causes and provide necessary tools, we can make a safer Toledo and Northwest Ohio for all."

"This $2 Million grant from the Department of Justice is a win for Toledo residents," said Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz. "By investing in evidence-based strategies and empowering community-led initiatives, this funding will help us continue the progress we've made in reducing violence, saving lives, and creating opportunities for our residents. We are deeply grateful to our federal partners, including Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, for championing this critical investment in our community's future."

The award has a 3-year performance period, and will fund a full-time program coordinator for that 3-year period. The program will be administered by the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE). MONSE aims to prevent and reduce violent crime in the city of Toledo by building the capacity of violence prevention professionals, community-based organizations, and grassroots organizations engaged in violence intervention and prevention. This project aims to promote racial equity and remove barriers to access and opportunity for these historically underserved communities by reducing gun mortality and criminal justice system involvement through evidence-based CVIPI.

Additionally, the award will fund:

Expected outcomes include:

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