The Board of Alders’ Health and Human Services Committee voted Oct. 23 to move a resolution authorizing the city to apply for and accept a $100,000 grant from the Kaiser Permanente Center for Gun Violence Research and Education, to be carried out in collaboration with the Yale School of Public Health.

Kishorena Nelson of New Haven’s Office of Violence Prevention presented the proposal, which the agenda described as “a resolution of the mayor’s court holders authorizing the city of New Haven to apply for and accept a Kaiser Permanente Center for gun violence research and education grant … in the amount of $100,000.” Nelson said the grant would be used primarily to build municipal and community capacity, not to distribute direct service funding to community‑based organizations.

“The purpose of this project is to strengthen New Haven’s municipal and community capacity to evaluate and enhance violence prevention initiatives,” Nelson said, adding that the collaboration with Yale aims to develop a central city‑level data system and standardized community measures that integrate root causes, program impacts and lived experience.

Presenters said the $100,000 would be spread over two years and would fund personnel and technical assistance: Yale would provide academic and data expertise while city staff and community partners would help shape priorities and implementation. The proposal lists Yale School of Public Health investigators Dr. Katrina Nelson, Dr. Carrie Reisen and Nelba Marquez‑Green as collaborators.

After a period for public comment (no additional testimony was submitted on the item), committee members closed the public portion and moved the item forward. The motion to move the resolution to the full Board of Alders was seconded, and the committee approved the item by voice vote with all members saying “aye.” No opposing votes or abstentions were recorded in the public record.

Committee members thanked staff for pursuing data and capacity investments and said they hoped the project would help New Haven measure program impacts more consistently, strengthen coordination between municipal agencies and community organizations and support strategies to reduce firearm injuries.