Violence Prevention

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Violence continues to play an outsized role in American life, yet efforts to prevent violence remain underfunded by both the public and private sectors. Violence prevention is an innovative and evolving area of philanthropy that overlaps with many other areas where donors give, such as criminal justice reform, support for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, youth programs, public health, and community development, to name a few. Many nonprofit organizations are offering a reimagined vision of how to prevent violence, focusing on root causes and systemic problems rather than simply addressing victims and perpetrators after the fact. This guide offers advice about how to contribute to these efforts. It highlights leading philanthropic strategies and offers guidance for donors new to this space to get started with their giving. 

Strategies for Impact

Nonprofits are engaged in a range of efforts around violence prevention. All this work is important and could benefit from greater support. Below, we discuss areas where donors might focus their funding and spotlight organizations in each that represent the kind of nonprofits that donors might consider supporting.    

  • Support community violence intervention. Community violence intervention  is an umbrella term for many violence-prevention approaches at the local level, including dispatching violence “interrupters” who work within communities to broker peace or stop acts of violence; training for teachers, medical professionals and others to reach out to survivors or potential perpetrators of violence; youth programs and educational work; and broader investments to ease the burden of housing problems, poverty, mental illness and other issues. Some organizations pursuing community violence intervention include Cure Violence, California Partnership for Safe Communities and Health Alliance for Violence Intervention.

  • Fund services for survivors of violence — and back survivors’ advocacy. Services for survivors of violence include shelters, legal support, child care, and counseling. There are nonprofits providing these types of services in communities across the country. Two national organizations focused on survivors are the National Domestic Violence Hotline and FORGE, which supports trans and nonbinary survivors. Everytown Survivor Network is building a survivor-centered movement to end gun violence. The Ahimsa Collective is an example of a nonprofit addressing violence on multiple fronts, from community-based restorative justice programs to housing and re-entry support for formerly incarcerated people, as well as survivor support.

  • Back advocacy and litigation. Legal and policy change is another avenue of violence prevention work. There are numerous organizations advocating for laws to curb gun violence, such as Giffords, The Brady Campaign or March for Our Lives. Donors who want to support legal and policy approaches to combating gender-based and sexual violence might look to groups such as National Women’s Law Center, RAINN, or the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.

  • Give to change the narrative. Perceptions about violence can be strongly influenced by the media, including movies and the local news. Nonprofits focused on narrative change aim to illuminate the real causes of violence and help to reimagine safe communities. Organizations advancing new narratives about violence and safety include Story at Scale and The Appeal, a news outlet that “envisions a world in which systems of support and care, not punishment, create public safety.” 

  • Invest in research. In approaching violence as a public health issue, it’s vital for organizations to have data and research into both causes and solutions. Organizations conducting research related to violence prevention include the National Collaborative for Gun Violence Research, a program currently housed at the RAND Corporation, and the Center for Gun Violence Solutions at Johns Hopkins University.

Insights and Advice

In considering which impact strategies to support, donors should take into account their personal interests and outlook to find the best fit. They should also keep an eye out for emerging opportunities to give with maximum impact for violence prevention. Here, we offer a few insights and suggestions:

  • Focus on systems and root causes. Prevention means stopping a problem before it occurs, and that means digging down deep into what causes violence. Giving to address root causes might mean focusing on issues such as poverty, healthcare and housing.

  • Invest in and partner with people at the forefront. Violence is a widespread problem in America, but it manifests in different ways in different communities. It’s tempting to believe that if a program works in one place, it will work in another. But that is not always the case, and it’s best to support programs and organizations led by people who are part of the impacted community, as they will have the best sense of what will work in their specific context.

For Donors Getting Started

Donors who are new to this space should take the time to learn about the landscape. A good place to start is by reading IP’s State of American Philanthropy brief on Giving for Violence Prevention. In addition, peruse recent articles that IP has published about what’s happening in this area of philanthropy. Organizations such as the National Coalition to End Domestic Violence and the Center for Gun Violence Solutions also offer informative resources. 

To find local charities working in this area that are well respected, Charity Navigator is a place to search for worthy organizations around the country. 

But the best way to get started giving for violence prevention is to make some initial gifts, get to know the work of the groups you’re supporting, and connect early with a funding intermediary that can help you learn more about this giving area and increase your giving in a thoughtful way. 

Have suggestions for improving this brief? Please email us at editor@insidephilanthropy.com.