Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards Over $11 Million to Prevent Youth Violence
The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced funding awarded through the Charles E. Shannon Jr. Community Safety Initiative, including new funds to support violence prevention in public housing sites. The grant program is an important tool in helping communities build collaborative programs to improve safety and reduce gang activity.
“Preventing violence among young people is critical to ensuring the future wellbeing of our youth and the safety of our communities,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This work requires collaboration among law enforcement, state and local officials, youth-serving nonprofits, and research partners to help ensure funds have the greatest positive impact. The partnerships built through the Shannon Community Safety Initiative are among the strongest tools we have to prevent youth and gang-related violence in Massachusetts.”
“The lasting success of grant-funded program sites demonstrates the remarkable outcomes we can achieve when collaborating to support our youth,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Each program site has forged strong partnerships across disciplines while applying evidence-based approaches to ensure young people can access beneficial programming and essential services that enhance their wellbeing and ensure the safety of Massachusetts communities.”
“There is power in partnership,” said Senator Adam Gomez. “Whatever the reason may be, youth violence affects our communities and homes all the same. This grant program works within our Commonwealth’s collaborative network of law enforcement officials and non-profits to tackle gang-related violence. I thank the Healey-Driscoll administration for this investment in the Hampden district and across Massachusetts.”
The FY25 Shannon Community Safety Initiative (Shannon CSI) is a state-funded grant program that awards yearly funds to support regional, multi-disciplinary program sites that take collaborative and evidence-based approaches to reduce youth and gang violence. The funds are managed and administered by the Office of Grants and Research (OGR). A total of 15 program sites were awarded grants totaling approximately $11,179,673. Each program site will receive support from a Local Action Research Partner (LARP), which will assist with strategic planning, critical analysis and continuous feedback to support program operations and ensure that funded programs remain within scope, on schedule and within budget. Researchers interested in serving as a LARP were required to submit applications separate from the Shannon CSI program site applicants. The selected LARPs will share approximately $785,543 in additional funding.
This marks the first year the Shannon CSI has incorporated the new Housing Site Initiative, which allocates a portion of the program’s funds to support violence prevention in publicly funded housing. In accordance with the Legislative language authorizing the Shannon CSI, housing sites that have been subject to enforcement actions by the US Department of Justice were given preference for this funding.
The following cities in the Hampden district were awarded FY25 Shannon CSI funding:
Funded Program Site | Total Award Amount | Housing Site Initiative Funding
Holyoke/Chicopee $606,446 $56,599
Springfield $1,247,411
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Program sites will receive support from the following research partners, who were awarded funds through the FY25 Shannon CSI LARP program:
Local Action Research Partner | Shannon Partner Site | Award Amount
CERTE INC, Amherst Holyoke/Chicopee $77,550
Salem State University Springfield $46,475
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