Federal Funding for Community Safety: The LA Peacemakers Initiative

Urban Peace Institute (UPI) announced $7,400,000 in federal earmark funding to implement the LA Peacemakers Initiative alongside Congressman Tony Cárdenas and with support from former Congresswoman, now Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and the Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD). Approximately 150 attendees, including peacemakers, city officials, and allies, gathered at Champions In Service Los Angeles to celebrate the announcement. 

Through the initiative, UPI will fund 17 community violence intervention agencies to enhance peacemaking efforts in Los Angeles. These frontline grantee organizations are working diligently to create safety and maintain peace in Los Angeles—some for decades. UPI will train new community intervention workers through the Urban Peace Academy and provide technical assistance to grantee organizations to build capacity. 

“We know that community violence intervention works—last year Los Angeles saw a 26% reduction in gang-related homicides. This is a historic day for LA peacemakers, never has there been this amount of federal funding invested directly into community safety.” -- Fernando Rejón, Executive Director, Urban Peace Institute

The LA Peacemakers Initiative will increase Los Angeles’ violence intervention workforce by 25%, providing additional job opportunities and increasing the impact of community safety work. 

Urban Peace Institute and the Los Angeles Violence Intervention Coalition are dedicated to building a powerful community-based safety infrastructure that will help to redefine public safety in Los Angeles. We continue to call on all leaders, allies, and supporters to pave the way to ensure all communities have the right to safety. This is a joint effort that will require public-private partnerships, as well as continued relationships with on-the-ground leaders.