Deadline: 14-Apr-25
The Cook County Justice Advisory Council (JAC) is seeking to fund violence prevention organizations in specific community areas across Cook County to engage and serve those at the highest risk of becoming victims or perpetrators of firearm violence and should utilize evidence-informed programming and services which will improve individual outcomes and decrease risk factors associated with firearm violence.
Patterned after the Community Violence Intervention (CVI) program model, this NOFO will fund a comprehensive Violence Prevention program that utilizes evidence-based programming and services to engage individuals at the highest risk of firearm violence, including street outreach, case management, and victim services. This program model includes utilizing “credible messengers” with lived experience and community ties (also known as “license to operate or LTO”) to mediate conflicts and disrupt cycles of violence/retaliation between informal street groups/street organizations, crews, cliques, and street networks. These programs increase positive outcomes for individuals most likely to harm someone or be harmed by firearm violence, strengthen others affected by violence, and contribute to building safer communities.
Funding Information
- JAC anticipates making approximately $20,000,000 available to fund 24-month grant awards under this opportunity. Award amounts will be based on approved budgets. Grant renewals will be subject to performance.
- JAC anticipates funding approximately 15-17 grants to provide this program.
- Anticipated average award amount: $1,150,000 over a 2-year period.
Funding Priorities
- JAC intends to fund approximately 15-17 nonprofit community-based organizations to provide CVI programming and services as described herein to the highest risk individuals in RPSA eligible communities. In addition, JAC intends to consider aligning grant program funding decisions with the GASC and existing philanthropic CVI investments to ensure that critical CVI investments in community safety are reaching the most vulnerable communities and those at highest risk for gun violence.
- Further, through a competitive merit-based review and selection process, the JAC expects to prioritize funding to applicants that:
- Demonstrate high levels of experience in violence prevention programming, specifically Street Outreach, Case Management and Victim Services as defined throughout this NOFO.
- Exceed the minimum required 2-year history of providing services to high-risk youth/adults in the specific eligible community area to which they are applying to serve.
- Propose a clearly designed plan to reach and serve the highest risk individuals in the identified community including the perpetrators of gun violence.
- Propose cost-effective and efficient programming.
Required Services and Programming
- The JAC is investing in the highest-risk Chicago and Cook County communities experiencing gun violence to provide a comprehensive array of CVI programming intended to mitigate, reduce, and prevent violent behavior, in particular firearm violence.
Eligibility Criteria
- Organizations applying for this NOFO must meet all of the following eligibility criteria:
- Non-profit status: Applicant, lead applicants, or fiscal agents must be a community based nonprofit organization with a 501(c)3 or 501(c)4 status at the time of application submission. Applicants must submit an IRS determination letter proving its 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) status. These letters must be dated before the application deadline and the name on the IRS determination letter must match the organization name used to apply for this grant.
- Budget: Must demonstrate annual operating budgets for at least current and previous year of equal or greater than $500,000 (complete the operating budget template provided as Attachment 5). Failure to use the attached operating budget template will result in disqualification of your application.
- Geography: Be headquartered in Cook County (operating and providing services within the City of Chicago or Suburban Cook County) and provide services in an RPSA eligible service area (see RPSA service area chart). Lead applicants proposing to serve primarily suburban Cook County must be headquartered in suburban Cook County. Lead applicants primarily serving the City of Chicago must be headquartered in the City.
- Experience: Demonstrate at least (2) two years of experience of serving and supporting high-risk individuals in designated RPSA areas.
- Solvent and Competent: The Applicant must be financially solvent; and each of its members, if a joint venture, its employees, agents or subcontractors at any level must be competent to perform the work and services required under this application.
- Licensure: It is understood that the selected Applicant is in good standing and licensed in any areas of service which require licensure.
For more information, visit Cook County Justice Advisory Council.
