MCW's CIC launches fund to promote community safety and wellbeing

Milwaukee – The Comprehensive Injury Center (CIC) at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) announced the launch of a statewide grant program to support communities impacted by increasing rates of violence since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Wisconsin Community Safety Fund (WCSF) was created to support local, evidence-informed activities that enhance the safety and wellbeing of children, youth, and families throughout Wisconsin. Recognizing the need to increase community capacity for violence prevention, this round of funding has been made available to support projects taking a public health approach to increasing public safety and community wellbeing.

Interested community organizations are encouraged to review and submit an application here. This Request for Applications (RFA) is designed to attract innovative projects that enhance the quality of life, safety, and wellbeing in communities outside of the city of Milwaukee. The $10.4M fund was created with Federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding allocated by Governor Tony Evers. Approximately ten, 3-year grants will be awarded to communities ranging from $300K to $1M annually. In addition to funding, communities will receive direct technical support from MCW for data, evaluation, and training for the duration of their funded project.

Funding Period
Selected projects will be funded for up to three years. Projects are expected to commence December 1, 2022 and conclude by December 31, 2025
Eligible Agencies
The following entities are eligible to apply to the fund:

1. Municipal, Tribal, County, Governmental entity or school district serving residents outside of the city of Milwaukee OR
2. Nonprofit, nongovernmental organization serving populations outside of the city of Milwaukee with current 501(c)3 tax-exempt status registered and in good-standing with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

Agencies must be based in Wisconsin since at least January 1, 2019, OR be sponsored by a government or nonprofit organization based in Wisconsin with 501(c)3 status.
Eligible Projects
Applications for this round of funding will be accepted from Municipal, Tribal, County, School District, or Nonprofit agencies serving residents outside the city of Milwaukee. Agencies serving Milwaukee residents should contact the City of Milwaukee for any local funding opportunities.
Projects will be funded to address one or more of the following community safety priorities:

• Firearm Violence
• Sexual and Gender Based Violence
• Intimate Partner Violence

• Child Abuse and Neglect
• Adverse Childhood Experiences
• Youth Violence
• Suicide

Application Process and Deadline
The deadline for the full application is September 30, 2022 11:59pm
For more information or to begin application visit the Wisconsin Community Safety Fund website. All questions pertaining to the application should be emailed to the Comprehensive Injury Center Division of Violence Prevention at: WCSF@mcw.edu

The Medical College of Wisconsin is a distinguished leader and innovator in the education and development of the next generation of physicians, scientists, pharmacists and health professionals; we discover and translate new knowledge in the biomedical and health sciences; we provide cutting-edge, collaborative patient care of the highest quality; and we improve the health of the communities we serve.
The Comprehensive Injury Center provides expertise in data, research, evaluation, and public health to communities throughout the state.
“Intentional injury and violence is a public health crisis that presents a lifelong risk of premature death and disability. Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death among individuals ages 1 through 44 in the United States and intentional injury (e.g., homicide and suicide) is a leading cause of death among individuals ages 10 to 34. We thank the State of Wisconsin for recognizing violence as a public health crisis and seeding this important fund.” – Dr. Terri deRoon Cassini, Director, Comprehensive Injury Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin
About the Medical College of Wisconsin
With a history dating back to 1893, The Medical College of Wisconsin is dedicated to leadership and excellence in education, patient care, research, and community engagement. More than 1,500 students are enrolled in MCW’s medical school and graduate school programs in Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Central Wisconsin. MCW’s School of Pharmacy opened in 2017. A major national research center, MCW is the largest research institution in the Milwaukee metro area and second largest in Wisconsin. In the last 10 years, faculty received more than $1.5 billion in external support for research, teaching, training, and related purposes. This total includes highly competitive research and training awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Annually, MCW faculty direct or collaborate on more than 3,100 research studies, including clinical trials. Additionally, more than 1,650 physicians provide care in virtually every specialty of medicine for more than 2.8 million patients annually.
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