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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
COOK COUNTY COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION INITIATIVE
WHEREAS, the Cook County Justice Advisory Council (JAC), as an office under the Cook County Board President, works to promote equitable, human-centered, community-driven justice system innovation and practice through rigorous stakeholder engagement, policy work, service coordination, and grantmaking that increases community safety and reduces reliance on incarceration; and
WHEREAS, the JAC supports Cook County’s commitment to advancing equity throughout Cook County by investing in programs and strategies to improve community safety in communities disproportionately impacted by violence and incarceration; and
WHEREAS, Cook County Ordinance Sec. 2-527 establishes the JAC’s authority to administer violence prevention, intervention and reduction grants to nonprofit community-based organizations in accordance with the Cook County Procurement Code; and
WHEREAS, building on historic levels of investment in the areas of violence prevention and community safety, JAC grant initiatives will sustain key services beyond American Rescue Plan Act funding, supporting organizations that work to ensure those closest to the gun violence epidemic can access critical programs and services that contribute to increased community safety throughout Cook County; and
WHEREAS, gun violence dramatically affects physical, cognitive, mental, emotional wellbeing and development of those exposed to it: direct survivors of gun violence and the communities impacted by incidences of gun violence; and
WHEREAS direct and indirect survivors are at greater risk of perpetrating violence, experiencing further victimization or exposure to violence; and
WHEREAS our communities are less safe when those at risk of perpetrating or being impacted by gun violence cannot access critical services essential to violence prevention; and
WHEREAS, Cook County Community Violence Intervention (CC-CVI) and Cook County Wraparound Services for Survivors of Gun Violence (CC-SGV) are complementary grant initiatives designed to improve community safety in Cook County; and
WHEREAS, the CC-CVI grant initiative will provide services to residents at risk of being involved in gun violence; and
WHEREAS, CC-CVI funding is working in partnership with the Government Alliance for Safe Communities (GASC) in alignment with the philanthropic and business communities and our collaborative investment strategy to maximize the impact of state and local funding for violence prevention; and
WHEREAS, the GASC strategy and CC-CVI initiative represent a comprehensive approach to violence prevention, utilizing innovative, emerging programming and services, supported by evidence-based research from institutions such as Northwestern University’s Center for Neighborhood Engaged Research & Science CORNERS, to engage individuals at the highest risk of firearm violence; and
WHEREAS, Chicago has seen the lowest rates of gun homicides in 2025 in 12 years, and a 46% drop from their peak, notably following these historic levels of investment in community-based approaches to violence prevention; and
WHEREAS, CC-CVI awards will be made to applicants providing services in each of the following categories:
• Street Outreach: Street outreach workers mediate conflicts and prevent retaliatory violence between those who are at risk of being involved in gun violence. Street outreach workers engage with individuals at highest risk of violence in a variety of settings, including parks, homes, street corners, community centers, schools, hospitals at all hours of the day.
• Case Management: Case management includes developing case plans based on individuals unique needs and providing or connecting individuals to identified resources and services. Services can be provided directly or through linkages with other providers and include, but are not limited to: effective emotional or trauma related therapies, legal aid services, housing services, employment training, job placement services, family engagement, and other support services.
• Victim Services: Victim service advocates help families and victims of violence recover from physical and emotional trauma by empowering them with skills, services, and opportunities; and
WHEREAS, CC-CVI awards will provide services in the geographic areas defined as communities impacted by gun violence in the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) (430 ILCS 69); and
WHEREAS, the RPSA calls for a comprehensive approach to reducing firearm violence through targeted, integrated behavioral health services; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Board of Commissioners authorized the allocation of $55 million in Equity Funds in the FY2025 budget for the Justice Advisory Council; and
WHEREAS, $20 million of those funds have been authorized expressly to support community violence intervention, which shall be distributed through the Cook County Community Violence Intervention (CC-CVI) grant initiative administrated by the JAC;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the Cook County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the Justice Advisory Council to issue 2-year agreements with two (2) one-year renewal options with the following organizations:
1. Alliance of Local Service Organizations in an aggregate amount up to $1,130,000.00. $1,140,000.00
2. B.U.I.L.D. INC in an aggregate amount up to $1,130,000.00. $1,140,000.00.
3. Black Expo Community Development Association Inc in an aggregate amount up to $1,135,522.00.
4. Breakthrough Urban Ministries Inc DBA Breakthrough in an aggregate amount up to $1,063,526.00.
5. Catholic Bishop of Chicago - St Sabina in an aggregate amount up to $1,140,000.00.
6. Chicago-Lawndale AMACHI Mentoring Program in an aggregate amount up to $1,059,340.00.
7. Family Focus in an aggregate amount up to $1,140,000.00.
8. Firehouse Community Arts Center of Chicago in an aggregate amount up to $1,135,000.00.
9. I&F Incorporated, NFP in an aggregate amount up to $1,140,000.00.
10. Lawndale Christian Legal Center in an aggregate amount up to $1,140,000.00.
11. Organizing Neighborhoods for Equality: Northside (ONE Northside) in an aggregate amount up to $868,862.00.
12. Public Equity in an aggregate amount up to $1,129,917.00.
13. Sinai Health System in an aggregate amount up to $1,139,856.00.
14. Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) in an aggregate amount up to $1,140,000.00.
15. The university of Chicago Medical Center in an aggregate amount up to $1,136,580.00.
16. United for Better Living (UBL) in an aggregate amount up to $1,140,000.00.
17. Youth Crossroads, Inc. in an aggregate amount up to $1,040,000.00.
18. YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago in an aggregate amount up to $1,137,324.00.
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