(WTAQ-WLUK) — Nearly $15 million in grants were awarded to schools and organizations across the state to help crack down on crime, prevent violence and and keep kids safe.
The Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention issued 73 grants to school districts, law enforcement agencies, domestic violence organizations, firearm retailers, local governments, and more that serve 60 counties across the state.
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, on top of the $10 million already directed by Gov. Evers, to expand the grants available to serve more communities.
“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 Wisconsin. This violence is preventable, and it’s clear by the overwhelming interest in this funding that more can and should be done to crack down on crime and violence and keep our kids and communities safe,” said Gov. Evers. “I’m incredibly proud of our work to get these funds out the door to the dedicated folks across our 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.”
- Click here to see the full list of recipients
Northeast Wisconsin grant recipients include:
- Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh – $85,000
- NAMI Brown County – $105,000
- Oconto Police Department – $5,439
- Golden House Inc. – $178,108
- People of Progression – $181,000
- Rainbow House Domestic Abuse Services Inc. – $59,675.98
- Solutions Center Shelter and Support Services Inc. – $38,120
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Fond du Lac County – $70,752
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Wisconsin – $225,000
- Boys & Girls Club of the Bay & Lakes Region – $128,330
- Oneida Nation – $117,461
Last year, Gov. Evers signed an executive order creating a new statewide Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention in the wake of a deadly shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison that took the lives of two people and injured six others. When the governor signed Executive Order #254 creating the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention, he concurrently announced he would be directing $10 million in federal funding to support the office’s work, including supporting a new grant program aimed at reducing crime, preventing violence, including intimate partner and gun violence, and efforts to improve community safety across Wisconsin.
