Harrisburg, PA — Exactly one month following the passage of the state budget, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s (PCCD) School Safety and Security Committee announced the availability of $160 million in state funding to support youth and make Pennsylvania’s communities safer.
This newly available funding reflects our steadfast commitment to making Pennsylvania’s schools safer, supporting the mental health and well-being of our youth, and reducing gun and community violence,” said Kirsten Kenyon, Executive Director of PCCD. “By increasing funding for Violence Intervention and Prevention grants and sustaining critical support for school safety and student mental health, the Shapiro-Davis Administration is building safer communities and healthier generations for the future.”
Strategic investments by the Shapiro-Davis Administration have been making Pennsylvania communities safer, reducing gun violence, and supporting victims. The 2025-26 budget signed by Governor Shapiro builds on these important investments with a $5.65 million increase for PCCD’s successful Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Grant Program. The VIP program reduces community violence by relying on community groups that are most in tune with specific local needs. Under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, state funding for the VIP program has increased from $30M to $62M – an increase of 107%. And since January 2023, Pennsylvania has made available nearly $375 million to our schools to support student mental health and security needs through PCCD.
Since 2022, homicides have declined by 34.8% statewide, from 1,029 murders in 2022 to 671 murders in 2024.
Eligible Applicants
For the VIP + BOOST combined grant solicitation, the following entities are eligible to apply: community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits; school districts and career and technical centers (CTC); libraries; municipalities, including counties or district attorneys’ offices; and institutions of higher education. For the Statewide BOOST grant solicitation, only statewide youth-serving nonprofit organizations with a 501(c)(4) status are eligible to apply.
Eligible Activities
VIP and BOOST funds can be used to support a wide range of eligible activities designed to reduce and respond to community violence, including but not limited to:
- Youth-focused prevention (BOOST & VIP): Programs that support young people before they become involved in violence, such as mentoring and after-school activities.
- Community-wide prevention (VIP): Initiatives that reduce risk across neighborhoods, like firearm safety campaigns, greening projects, and safe routes to school.
- Intervention (VIP): Services that reach individuals—youth and adults—at highest risk of being involved in violence, including street outreach and hospital-based programs.
- Reentry/aftercare support (VIP): Programs that help people successfully return to their families and communities after involvement with the justice system.
- Trauma-informed healing (VIP): Support for individuals affected by gun violence, including counseling and mental health services.
- Local coordination and innovation (VIP): Efforts to strengthen community planning and collaboration, such as forming Violence Reduction Councils or piloting new anti-violence strategies.
Important Dates
Eligible entities have until January 26, 2026 to apply.
Questions
Interested applicants are invited to RSVP to attend a virtual webinar on Friday, December 19, 2025 at 1 PM to learn more about the solicitation, including funding priorities, requirements, and tips for navigating the application process.
Questions about this funding announcement can be sent to ra-cd-vipgrants@pa.gov with “FY 2025-26 VIP + BOOST FA” in the subject line. Responses to all questions will be posted on PCCD’s Active Funding Announcements webpage
Eligible Applicants
This solicitation is open to public school entities, including school districts, career and technical schools/centers, intermediate units, and charter schools. Allocation amounts for school entities can be found in Appendix A of the funding announcement.
Eligible Activities
Funds will advance the School Safety and Security Committee’s goal of ensuring that all Pennsylvania students can learn in safe, healthy school environments by helping school entities address basic safety and mental health needs identified in the Committee’s adopted Physical Security Baseline Criteria and Behavioral Health Baseline Criteria.
The full listing of eligible project activities allowed under 24 P.S. §13- 1306B(j)(1-32) can be found on PCCD’s website.
Important Dates
Eligible entities have until January 28, 2026 to apply.
Questions
Questions about this funding announcement can be sent to ra-cd-sssc@pa.gov. Responses to all questions will be posted on PCCD’s Active Funding Announcements webpage.