Philanthropic Engagement with Community Youth Violence Prevention Initiatives

Around the country, many communities are employing a new approach to prevent youth violence. Pulling together leaders across disciplines, shaped by local champions of change, communities are engaging in innovative and data-driven multidisciplinary efforts that engage all key community entities in order to stem the tide of youth violence and restore hope and opportunity so that every child in their midst can be safe in backyards and schoolyards, sidewalks and hallways on every street and neighborhood. Some of these comprehensive community-wide efforts have been seeded by federal initiatives including the Promise and Choice Neighborhood initiatives, Safe Streets, Strong Communities, Defending Childhood and the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention. This paper will highlight the work of the National Forum and opportunities for philanthropic engagement with this work