Gov. Tony Evers to outline violence-prevention grant awards in Milwaukee and Chippewa Falls this week

State expands violence-prevention grantmaking as new Office of Violence Prevention begins awarding funds

Gov. Tony Evers is scheduled to announce violence-prevention grant awards during stops in Milwaukee and Chippewa Falls, highlighting a statewide strategy that uses federal pandemic-relief dollars to support local efforts aimed at reducing community violence.

The events come as Wisconsin’s Office of Violence Prevention—created by executive order on Jan. 14, 2025—moves from formation into implementation. The office is housed within the Wisconsin Department of Administration and was established to coordinate statewide violence-prevention work, provide technical assistance, promote evidence-based approaches, convene stakeholders, and administer grants to a range of entities that can include school districts, nonprofit organizations, law enforcement agencies, firearm retailers, and local governments.

How the state’s current grant program is structured

The current State Violence Prevention Grant Program is designed to fund initiatives described as evidence-based or evidence-informed, with an emphasis on supporting, replicating, or expanding strategies in communities disproportionately impacted by violence. The program’s funding source is the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and the state has indicated an intent to award up to $10 million through this round.

Program materials also outline compliance requirements tied to federal rules for ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, including the need for funded expenses to align with U.S. Treasury guidance. Applicants are responsible for documenting eligibility and maintaining records that can withstand audit review.

Milwaukee: grants land in a city with ongoing public-safety investments

Milwaukee has been a focal point of multiple state public-safety initiatives funded with ARPA dollars in recent years, including investments intended to strengthen criminal-justice operations, expand supports in courts and prosecution, and bolster local approaches to public safety. Prior state-funded efforts have included measures such as adding resources to address case backlogs and supporting projects that link public health and public safety, reflecting the state’s broader framing of violence prevention as a cross-system challenge.

Chippewa Falls: local and regional context for violence-prevention work

Chippewa Falls sits within a region where prevention strategies often intersect with victim services, youth supports, and community-based programming. Across Wisconsin, violence-prevention grants have increasingly been designed to support interventions beyond traditional enforcement, including partnerships that connect social services, community organizations, and local government.

What to watch for in the governor’s announcement

• Which organizations and agencies receive awards in Milwaukee and Chippewa Falls, and the total dollar amounts.
• The specific strategies funded, including whether awards emphasize outreach and intervention, victim services, school-based prevention, or other models.
• Grant durations, performance expectations, and reporting requirements tied to ARPA compliance.

Violence-prevention funding in Wisconsin is increasingly routed through competitive grants designed to scale interventions locally while maintaining state oversight for federal compliance.

Additional details are expected at the announcement events, including award totals, recipient lists, and descriptions of the funded projects in each community.