NEW REPORT on the critical role of community violence intervention coalitions in creating conditions for historic crime reductions

WASHINGTON — Today, GIFFORDS Center for Violence Intervention released a new report. The report looks at the critical role community violence intervention (CVI) coalitions have played in creating conditions for historic, decades-low levels of homicides and shootings in many cities around the country. These decreases followed unprecedented national investment in community-based violence prevention programs. Read the full report here.

“The results speak for themselves, collective action is working to address one of our most pressing public safety challenges,” said Kim Gutierrez, Associate Director of Coalitions, GIFFORDS Center for Violence Intervention. “CVI coalitions are not just advocating for policy change—they’re building the infrastructure for sustainable, community-driven solutions that break cycles of violence. The results speak for themselves: Cities with strong coalition advocacy are creating pathways for historic reductions in gun violence.”

In recent years, CVI coalitions have played an important role in fostering historic reductions in gun violence across multiple U.S. cities. These coalitions—composed of frontline CVI workers, policymakers, advocates, survivors, and community stakeholders—have successfully secured major policy wins including minimum wage protections for violence intervention workers, dedicated state funding through innovative taxation, and the largest federal investment in CVI programs to date. With more than a dozen coalitions now active nationwide compared to virtually none just years ago, the movement demonstrates the power of coordinated advocacy in building sustainable, community-based public safety solutions. The report draws on lessons from the successful coalition building efforts of the domestic violence movement to provide recommendations of actions that policymakers, funders, and advocates can take to support the expansion of CVI coalitions.   

Earlier this year, the State CVI Coalition Alliance (SCCA) launched as a new resource designed to foster coalition growth by building networks, sharing best practices, and creating informational materials for public consumption.