Governor Moore Announces $1.36 Million in Awards to Expand Prevention, Reduction of Gun Violence
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ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Wes Moore and the Maryland Department of Health announced today that the Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention awarded $1.36 million in grant funding across 17 organizations to address the impact of gun violence on Marylanders. The grants support community groups, local health departments and law enforcement agencies that work with communities on prevention and reduction efforts, promote firearm safety education, expand services for victims, and raise awareness about suicide prevention related to firearms.
“My number one priority is the safety of all Marylanders, so we are committed to making investments in our community partners doing the necessary work to protect our communities from the gun violence epidemic,” said Gov. Moore. “By committing to an all-of-the-above approach to public safety and tackling gun violence head on, our administration is getting tough on crime and the root causes of crime, driving historic drops in violence and creating a model for the rest of America.”
“Gun violence is a public health epidemic, and every day we see the devastating effects it has in Maryland communities,” said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani. “These grants support partners in communities across the state to provide education, resources and support with the common goal of keeping Marylanders safe. Not only can the impact of these programs be felt immediately - but they also inform future strategies that help us to better determine causes and solutions to gun violence.”
Funded projects will implement and strengthen initiatives that promote intervention, training, research and awareness to reduce and prevent gun violence in Maryland. Many focus on educating the public about the safe storage of firearms, including the distribution of safety devices, such as gun locks, to help prevent suicides and accidental shootings. Other initiatives will expand behavioral health support and community resources for victims of gun violence, and strengthen the Domestic Violence Protective Order firearm surrender process.
The Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention was established in 2024 as part of the Moore-Miller Administration’s commitment to creating a safer Maryland for all. Its mission is to reduce firearm violence, harm from firearm violence and misuse of firearms in the state by partnering with federal, state and local agencies and affected communities to implement a public health approach to firearm violence reduction.
In its first two years, the Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention awarded $1.71 million, funding local health departments, non-profits, and health care organizations to expand gun violence intervention programs, provide resources and education about the safe storage of firearms, and improve protections for victims of domestic violence.
For a full list of grantees and education and community engagement resources, visit the Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention webpage.
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The Maryland Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management and community engagement.
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