A coalition of more than 140 organizations, faith leaders, health professionals, educators, local elected officials, violence prevention practitioners and others from across Pennsylvania have signed and delivered a joint letter urging the state legislature to prioritize a $101.5 million investment in evidence-based community violence intervention (CVI) programs in the 2025–26 budget.
The letter, led by CeaseFirePA, reinforces a letter earlier this month from more than 50 Pennsylvania House Members, highlighting the success of nearly $200 million that was previously invested in CVI programs, resulting in a 38 percent decrease in gun homicides in Pennsylvania.
The letter from the coalition urges the General Assembly to allocate $80 million to the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) program and $21.5 million to Governor Josh Shapiro’s BOOST (Building Opportunity through Out of School Time) initiative. Together, the $101.5 million investment would sustain and scale efforts that save lives, build trust, and strengthen communities across the Commonwealth.
Among the signers are community violence intervention organizations and frontline CVI workers who see the life-changing impact of these programs every day.
South Pittsburgh Coalition for Peace is a community violence intervention organization. “We are appreciative of Gov. Shapiro’s understanding of the need for Community Violence Intervention (CVI) dollars, because data shows that CVI works to prevent gun violence,” said the organization’s Executive Director, Rev. Eileen Smith RN. “We support and ask the Legislature to also support the $100 million dollars for Community Violence Prevention so that our community and all communities can continue to work with the highest-risk population in order to reduce the risk factors of gun violence and save lives.”
Will Kiefer, the Executive Director and Founder of the Bench Mark Program in Lancaster says that this funding has allowed them to bring together probation, child welfare, schools, and community organizations – partners who historically operated separately – to build a unified response that intervenes early and prevents youth violence. “With PCCD funding, we’ve united public systems and grassroots organizations to form a coordinated prevention network that reaches high-risk youth with mentorship, mental health support and workforce development – long before violence escalates.”
Signers also include health professionals and public health organizations, faith leaders, local elected officials, educators and school districts.
“Nationwide, the leading cause of death for children and teens continues to be gun violence, but thanks to historic investments in evidence-based community violence intervention programs, Pennsylvania has seen a meaningful drop in those numbers,” said Arthur G. Steinberg, president of AFT Pennsylvania. “As a union representing tens of thousands of educators and school professionals across the state, AFT Pennsylvania has and will continue to support common sense gun safety measures that keep our students, our members, and our communities safe. We call on the Pennsylvania state legislature to fully fund the Violence Intervention Program and BOOST efforts in the 2025-26 budget.”
CeaseFirePA and its partners delivered the letter on June 18th in Harrisburg and will continue to advocate for this critical community violence intervention funding until a budget is passed.
