Gov. Evers Delivers Radio Address, Highlights $15 Million to Organizations Across Wisconsin to Reduce Crime, Prevent Violence, and Keep Kids, Families, and Communities Safe
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered his weekly radio address highlighting nearly $15 million in grants that were awarded through the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention, created by Gov. Evers, to school districts, law enforcement agencies, domestic violence organizations, firearm retailers, local governments, and more that serve 60 counties across the state to help crack down on crime, prevent violence, including intimate partner and gun violence, and keep kids, families, and communities across Wisconsin safe.
The new grant program, launched by Gov. Evers, saw overwhelming interest from violence prevention groups across the state, drawing over 460 applications for funding. Due to the high level of interest, Gov. Evers and the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention dedicated an additional $5 million in federal funding to expand the grants available to serve more communities.
A total of 73 grants from the new grant program are being awarded to school districts, law enforcement agencies, nonprofits, firearm dealers, and government agencies across the state in five categories, with grants ranging from approximately $5,000 to a maximum of $1.5 million. The five categories include: suicide prevention and firearms storage, evidence-based violence intervention and outreach programs, criminal justice based initiatives, domestic violence prevention initiatives, and school-based initiatives. Examples of eligible expenses for grant recipients include, but are not limited to:
- Supporting multi-agency law enforcement investigations;
- Using crime gun intelligence tools;
- Implementing suicide prevention education to identify individuals in crisis, including at the point of sale for firearms;
- Implementing or improving threat assessment training;
- Promoting and administering safe storage and gun buyback programs;
- Providing technical assistance and support to help design, implement, and/or staff evidence-based community policing, crime reduction initiatives, and gun violence crisis response teams;
- Implementing or enhancing domestic violence prevention programs;
- Implementing school-based programming, including suicide prevention and firearm safety training; and
- Supporting mentoring and after-school programs and other efforts aimed at keeping kids out of trouble and out of harm’s way.
A list of the grant recipients, as well as additional information about the State Violence Prevention Grant Program, is available on the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention webpage.
A transcript of the governor’s radio address is available below.
Hey there, folks. Governor Tony Evers here.
Violence, including intimate partner violence and gun violence, doesn’t have to be a foregone conclusion, but today, it is a statewide problem that affects kids, families, and communities in every corner of the state.
That’s why, over the last seven years, my administration and I have been working to reduce crime, prevent violence, and keep our kids, families, and communities safe.
Including last year, when I was proud to create the new statewide Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention.
There is much work we can do to help stop violence wherever and whenever it happens, and this week, we’re glad to continue that work with the award of $15 million in grants through that office.
These grants are being awarded to school districts, law enforcement agencies, domestic violence organizations, firearm retailers, local governments, and more across the state to help crack down on crime and prevent violence across Wisconsin.
And violence is preventable, and it’s clear by the overwhelming interest in this funding that more can and should be done to keep our kids and communities safe.
I’m incredibly proud of all the work that we’ve done to get these funds out the door and to the dedicated folks across the state who are working to address the cycles of violence and crime that traumatize our kids, families, and neighborhoods.
Because in 2026 the Year of the Neighbor, ensuring all our neighbors are safe from violence remains a top priority.
And there’s more work we can do.
I’m urging the Legislature to join me in making the Office of Violence Prevention a permanent state office, invest in supports and resources for victims and survivors of crime and violence, and close the loophole that allows abusers to possess firearms.
Folks, as a father and a grandfather who’s also the governor, I will never accept violence as a foregone reality or stop working to change it.
Let’s do more to prevent violence, reduce crime, and keep Wisconsin kids, families, and communities safe.
Thank you.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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