Advisory council warns federal grant pause threatens community-violence intervention funding

Providence — Members of the Pathways and Gun Violence Advisory Council spent much of their monthly meeting discussing the potential impact of a federal pause on grant funding and possible local steps to sustain violence-intervention programs.

Council members and staff said a federal budget office action, described in the meeting as a near-term pause tied to an executive branch directive restricting certain language in grants, has created uncertainty for programs that rely on competitive federal awards. Council members described worry about competitive grants tied to diversity, equity and inclusion language and said some locally important programs could be vulnerable if the pause is enforced selectively.

The council’s discussion placed particular emphasis on competitive grants used for community-based CVI efforts, transitional housing and programs serving LGBTQ populations. A staff member said the attorney general’s office had led a virtual press briefing on the issue and that state attorneys general had filed motions in some courts; a federal judge temporarily blocked enforcement “till Monday,” the member said.

The council heard that some federal funding streams are more secure than others. Members and staff noted that many grants administered by state agencies are statutory formula programs and argued those are less likely to be affected than newer competitive awards. They also discussed a continuing resolution in Congress and the risk that multiple programs — including workforce dollars under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) — remain uncertain until reauthorization or appropriations are finalized.

At the meeting, members proposed several local and state options to reduce reliance on federal competitive grants. One idea repeated in the discussion was a local or state excise on guns or ammunition modeled on measures adopted elsewhere; a council member referenced an example from California. Participants also discussed turning to philanthropic supports, Brown University partnerships and state-level revenue to sustain services if federal streams are disrupted.

Council members and staff emphasized the practical effects of funding interruptions. They discussed that community-based organizations (CBOs) face hiring uncertainty and possible layoffs, and that city solicitations and local RFP language are being adjusted to remove or reword terms flagged in the state of federal policy reviews. One council member said many organizations are replacing words such as “equity” and “diversity” with alternative phrasing to avoid triggering reviews while keeping program goals intact.

The council did not take any formal funding actions at the meeting. Instead members directed staff to share published guidance from the executive office described during the discussion, to map available state and philanthropic funding options, and to explore statutory or municipal revenue strategies that could sustain CVI work.

Members said they will continue to track court rulings and federal guidance and to coordinate with state partners and philanthropy as they develop recommendations for the mayor’s office and City Council.