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March 11, 2025

Media Contact:
Chase Cook, Director, Office of Communications, 410-767-8649
Ebony Wilder, Deputy Director, Office of Communications, 410-767-8650

Maryland Department of Health announces new funding opportunities to address gun violence

Baltimore, MD – The Maryland Department of Health today announced two requests for applications (RFA) to address the impact of gun violence by engaging with impacted communities and increasing gun safety and storage education across the state. The RFAs are the first grant opportunities offered through the recently developed Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention. 

"We are investing in a public health approach to prevent gun violence in Maryland communities," said Acting Maryland Secretary of Health Dr. Ryan Moran. "These grant opportunities are a critical first step for the Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention to unite local health experts and community organizations around the singular goal of saving lives."

• The Firearm Prevention and Intervention Program Awards for Local Health Departments RFA: The Department will award multiple local health departments funds up to $25,000 each to provide firearm safe storage education and free safety devices, such as lock boxes and locks. Safe storage helps create time and space between firearms and individuals suffering from a crisis and considering harm to themselves or others. Local health departments will be able to purchase safety devices, disseminate educational materials about safe storage options, and host events during Gun Violence Awareness Month in June 2025 to distribute devices and increase community engagement. The grant period will be April 15, 2025 through June 30, 2025. To apply, visit bit.ly/Firearm-Prevention-Program-Awards-for-LHDs  by March 28, 2025. 
  
  
• Building Partnerships: Engaging with Communities to Reduce Gun Violence Through a Public Health Lens RFA: The Department will award $200,000 to an organization to lead a statewide community engagement campaign around gun violence, including planning and executing a day-long summit, to inform the state’s gun violence prevention strategic plan development. The grant period will be June 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. To apply, visit bit.ly/Engaging-Communities-to-Reduce-Gun-Violence by April 30, 2025. 

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. The Center aims to reduce firearm violence, mitigate the harm caused by firearm incidents and address firearm misuse in the state. To achieve the goals, the Center collaborates with federal, state, and local agencies and affected communities to implement a public health approach to reduce firearm violence.

For more information about the Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention, visit health.maryland.gov/violence-prevention. Additional grant opportunities will be available next month.