Harrisburg, PA — The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) today announced the availability of more than $4 million in federal Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) funding to reduce gun violence and intimate partner homicides and improve responses to behavioral health crises within communities and the justice system.
PCCD has distributed more than $90 million in funding for more than 170 grant projects to prevent gun violence over the last two years.
Keeping Pennsylvanians safe means investing in people before the crisis—addressing trauma, supporting mental health, and disrupting cycles of violence at the root,” said Ross A. Watson, Jr. Director of PCCD’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention. “This funding allows us to meet communities where they are, equip them with healing-centered strategies, and build a safer, more compassionate Commonwealth for all."
Funding can be used for a variety of behavioral health responses and gun violence and domestic violence homicide reduction strategies, including the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP). LAP is an evidence-based tool for reducing domestic violence homicides. In Maryland, where it began, domestic violence-related deaths dropped 32% between 2008 and 2013. Today, 436 law enforcement agencies and 48 domestic violence programs use LAP in 51 Pennsylvania counties.
This solicitation comes on the heels of an earlier SCIP solicitation, which opened in June, aimed at preventing, intervening in, and responding to firearm suicides.
Funding Availability
Over $4 million in funding is available, with PCCD expected to award approximately 20 grants of up to $200,000 each over a 21-month project period.
Important Dates
- July 10, 2025 – Solicitation opened in PCCD’s Egrants system.
- September 3, 2025 – Deadline to submit questions to PCCD.
- September 10, 2025 – Application deadline (11:59 PM via Egrants)
- December 10, 2025 – Funding decisions made.
- January 1, 2026 – Project start date.
Eligibility & Priority Consideration
Units of local government (cities, counties, townships, or towns) are eligible to apply. In addition to these eligible applicants, funding can also be used to support a variety of subrecipients.
Proposals that serve high-need communities—such as areas with populations experiencing increasing and/or higher rates of gun violence—will receive priority consideration.
Eligible Program Activities
PCCD established the following Priority Areas, Objectives, and Proposed Approaches in Pennsylvania’s federally approved FY 2024 SCIP Funding Plan. Eligible applicants can seek funding for projects that support one or more of these areas:
Priority Area #1
Equip Pennsylvania communities with training and resources to respond holistically to behavioral health crises.
Objective 1.3: Support behavioral health responses in local jurisdictions across Pennsylvania.
Objective 1.4: Support efforts to embed advocates and peer navigators within the justice system.
Priority Area #2:
Reduce firearm suicides in Pennsylvania.
Objective 2: Support local strategies for firearm suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.
Priority Area #3
Advance local strategies to reduce the number of intimate partner homicides and empower survivors across Pennsylvania.
Objective 3.1: Expand adoption of the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) to additional jurisdictions in Pennsylvania.
Objective 3.2: Assist local jurisdictions in implementing procedures required under Act 79 of 2018.
Learn More
For more information, including how to apply, please visit PCCD’s Active Funding Announcement webpage or email RA-PCCD-OCJSI@pa.gov with “FY 2024 Byrne SCIP Local Solicitation” in the subject line.
Learn more about PCCD’s role in reducing gun violence and the work of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention by visiting our website.