On Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded 35 grants, totaling $18 million, under the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24). The TVTP Grant Program provides financial assistance to eligible applicants to develop sustainable, multidisciplinary targeted violence and terrorism prevention capabilities in local communities, to pilot innovative prevention approaches, and to identify prevention best practices that can be replicated in communities across the country.
“In our current dynamic threat environment, any town, anywhere can be a target,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The Department of Homeland Security’s Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention grant awards announced today will help local communities pilot, strengthen, and share evidence-based prevention strategies, significantly expanding our nation’s counterterrorism capacity and making all of us safer.”
Leveraging a public health-informed approach, the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) brings together behavioral and mental health providers, educators, faith leaders, social service providers, nonprofits, law enforcement, and other state, local, and community partners to address systemic factors that can lead to violence while strengthening protective factors at the local level that support the safety, well-being, and resiliency of communities in the U.S. This focus has also led to an increase in public health organizations applying for the grant program. In FY24, 35 public health entities applied and 7 were selected, compared to 3 applicants and 2 awardees in FY23. Public health organizations receiving an award include:
- Boston Children’s Hospital
- Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Mental Health and Addiction
- Oakland Community Health Network
- Parents for Peace
- Rhode Island Department of Health
- Safe States Alliance
- University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Weber-Morgan Health Department
- Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Service Board
Given widespread concern regarding youth involvement in targeted violence nationally, CP3 selected 20 grantees focused wholly or in part on prevention in youth settings, including grants to improve clinical practice with at-risk youth (Boston Children’s Hospital) and upskilling behavioral threat assessment and management tools for at-risk youth (Safe States Alliance). Awardees include:
- Auburn University
- Board of Regents, Nevada System of Higher Education
- Boston Children’s Hospital
- Dillard University
- Elizabeth City State University
- Green River Educational Cooperative
- Independent Production Fund
- Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Mental Health and Addiction
- Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh
- North Carolina State University
- Rhode Island Department of Health
- Safe States Alliance
- School Administrative Unit #18
- Southern University
- Southern Illinois University
- The Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of the Rockefeller Institute of Government
- The Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of the University at Buffalo
- Trustees of Indiana University
- University of Southern Maine
- Weber-Morgan Health Department
DHS prioritizes targeted violence and terrorism prevention in underserved communities and has continued its outreach to these areas in recent award cycles, including FY24. This year, the TVTP Grant Program received 39 applications from, or proposing to do work with, underserved communities. CP3 awarded 8 grants that provide services to underserved populations, including one tribal government, three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), one LGBTQ+ serving institution, one organization serving religious minorities, and two organizations serving rural communities. Awardees include:
- Centerlink
- Dillard University
- Elizabeth City State University
- Green River Educational Cooperative
- Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Mental Health and Addiction
- Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh
- Otoe-Missouria Tribe
- Southern University
CP3’s financial and technical assistance helps grow the TVTP community of practice. The FY24 awards have created approximately 50 new prevention jobs in addition to the dozens of existing positions that will be partially or fully funded by these awards.
Launched in 2020, the program, administered by the DHS CP3 and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is the only federal grant program solely dedicated to helping local communities develop and strengthen their targeted violence and terrorism prevention capabilities in this area. DHS awarded nearly $90 million via 178 awards to organizations working to prevent violence in 41 states plus the District of Columbia.
To date, TVTP grant programs have conducted training sessions that built prevention capacity among 38,250 attendees. This program has also funded projects that directly address and manage cases involving individuals with behavioral indicators for violence. As of August 2024, grantees from FY20-FY23 have opened 1,172 cases and referred them to partners or provided direct mental health counseling, social services, and other services to increase protective factors in these clients.
The anticipated next round of TVTP grant funding will be announced in spring 2025. Additional information about current and previous TVTP grantees, such as programs, tools, resources, accomplishments, closeout reports, award grants, and more can be found on the TVTP Grant Program webpage. These resources support prevention practitioners in advancing their work and reaffirm DHS’s commitment to transparency.
