Community violence intervention and workforce grants

Summary#

This bill creates new federal grant programs to fund community-based violence intervention and job training in places hit hard by interpersonal gun violence. It authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to run a multi-year grant program, set up an office and a national response center, and fund research and technical assistance. It also authorizes the Department of Labor to fund job and training programs for “opportunity youth” in high-violence communities.

• Main change: HHS would award 4-year grants to community groups, hospitals, and some local governments to fund community violence intervention programs. HHS would also create an Office of Community Violence Intervention, an advisory committee, and a National Community Violence Response Center to provide technical help, data collection, and research coordination.
• Workforce piece: The Department of Labor would fund year-round job training and workforce programs for youth aged 16–24 who are not in school or work (“opportunity youth”) in communities disproportionately affected by gun violence.
• Funding authorized: HHS: $300M (FY2026), $500M (FY2027), $700M per year (FY2028–2033). Labor: $1.5B total for FY2026–2033 (available until 2033).
• Priorities and limits: Grants must focus on trauma-informed, culturally competent strategies that are evidence-informed and aim to reduce violence without increasing incarceration. No more than 15% of HHS program funds may go directly to units of local government.

What it means for you#

• Community-based organizations: Many nonprofits that work directly with people at high risk of violence could apply for HHS grants. Community groups with a track record serving communities of color are eligible and are exempt from the usual matching fund requirement.
• Hospitals and health providers: Hospitals can apply, but if they receive funds in their community-based capacity they must pass at least 90% of those funds to direct service providers, staff, or individual subcontractors who deliver services.
• Local governments: Cities and counties that meet homicide thresholds or show “compelling need” can apply. However, local governments may receive no more than 15% of total HHS program funds in a year, and most funds they get must be distributed to community organizations or non-law-enforcement public safety agencies.
• Opportunity youth (16–24 year olds not in school or work): The Department of Labor grants are meant to connect these young people to training, apprenticeships, and jobs in in-demand fields.
• Workers and service staff: The bill funds training and certification for community violence intervention professionals and allows funding for building local program capacity.
• Researchers and evaluators: The bill funds independent evaluations and creates a research advisory council to coordinate federal research on community violence.
• General public / taxpayers: The bill would create a federal program focused on non-policing interventions to reduce community violence and support affected communities.

Expenses#

Estimated public cost: The bill authorizes specific amounts but does not create automatic spending. Appropriations would still be needed.

• HHS authorizations: $300 million for FY2026; $500 million for FY2027; $700 million per year for FY2028–FY2033.
• Department of Labor authorization: $1.5 billion total for FY2026–FY2033 (available until 2033).
• Program administration and set-asides: HHS may reserve up to 5% of yearly funds for office administrative expenses, up to 8% for evaluation, training, and technical assistance, and up to 10% for supplemental incentive awards to successful grantees.
• Matching and recipient costs: Federal share generally covers 90% of eligible costs for grantees that are local governments. Community-based nonprofit grantees are exempt from the matching requirement. Local governments may request waivers for a full federal share in certain cases.
• No fiscal note or actual appropriation is included in the text. The bill “authorizes” spending; it does not itself appropriate money.

Proponents' View#

• The bill appears intended to fund proven community-centered strategies to reduce shootings and other interpersonal violence without increasing incarceration.
• It focuses on trauma-informed, culturally competent programs that hire credible messengers and provide wraparound services (housing, counseling, job training), which could help people at high risk of violence.
• The bill builds capacity by funding training, certification, technical assistance, and independent evaluations to identify and spread best practices.
• The workforce grants aim to reduce youth unemployment in high-violence communities and connect young people to in-demand jobs, which could address an economic factor linked to violence.
• The bill establishes data collection and research coordination to track outcomes and find gaps in existing knowledge.

Opponents' View#

• One concern is the cost. While the bill authorizes substantial funding, it does not appropriate funds. Actual cost will depend on future budget decisions.
• The bill does not fully define some key terms and standards. For example, “evidence-informed,” the threshold for “compelling need,” and exact grant award sizes are left to the Secretary to decide. This could make implementation uneven.
• Another concern is potential overlap with existing federal, state, and local programs. The bill requires coordination but does not clearly say how it will avoid duplicating services already funded elsewhere.
• Data collection and reporting requirements raise privacy and data-sharing questions not fully spelled out in the bill.
• Administrative set-asides (for the Office, evaluation, and incentives) reduce the share available for direct services. The practical impact of those reserves on local programs depends on how they are used.
• It is unclear how the program will ensure long-term sustainability once grant periods end, or how success will be measured across varied local contexts.