Gov. Tony Evers is sending nearly $15 million out across Wisconsin in a new round of state violence prevention grants, with money flowing to both big cities and small towns. The awards, announced Monday, span 73 grants in 60 counties and will support school-based programs, community violence intervention efforts and domestic-violence services. State officials are pitching the package as a one-time boost to expand evidence-based, community-led work aimed at reducing crime and keeping violence from taking root in the first place.
State posts intent-to-award list
The Department of Administration has posted an official “Intent to Award” list that pegs the total at $14,995,259.66 in grants. According to the Department of Administration, the grant amounts vary, and successful applicants will hear from the state with next steps as contracts are finalized. The notice also makes clear that each award still depends on final negotiations and compliance with federal ARPA guidance.
Record demand pushed the pot higher
State leaders say interest in the program was intense, with more than 460 applications rolling in. That demand prompted officials to add $5 million in federal dollars to the original $10 million allocation so they could fund more proposals. As reported by FOX6 News Milwaukee, individual grants range from about $5,000 up to roughly $1.5 million, spread across five funding categories. The additional money, officials said, let them reach more communities and a broader mix of prevention strategies.
From big counties to small school districts
The award list mixes large county allocations with much smaller, neighborhood-level grants. Milwaukee County, for example, is slated for a $1,573,082 award, while statewide nonprofits and health providers such as NAMI Wisconsin and several Boys & Girls Clubs are in line for six-figure support. Rural school districts and local community groups are also on the list, underscoring how widely the funds are spread. The full breakdown appears in the Department of Administration release.
Where the money came from
The violence prevention office and its grant program were created last winter under Executive Order 254, with an initial plan to distribute about $10 million in ARPA funds, according to the Office of the Governor. That December announcement laid out five eligible categories: suicide prevention and firearm storage, evidence-based outreach, criminal-justice initiatives, domestic-violence prevention and school-based programming. Those same categories underpin the awards announced this week. The administration has cast the grants as part of a broader ARPA-funded effort to bolster public safety, strengthen victim services and shore up community supports statewide.
What comes next
Next up, state officials say, is contract paperwork. Recipients will be contacted to finalize their grant agreements, and projects will have to follow federal ARPA and Treasury rules for what counts as an eligible expense. The Department of Administration will require progress reports and other documentation to track how the money is spent and what it accomplishes on the ground. Local organizations that secured awards say the funding will go toward staffing, training, safe firearm storage efforts, school programming and expanded outreach in the coming months.
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