Maryland awards $1.36 million in grant money for gun violence prevention and safe firearm storage programs
Maryland is committing $1.36 million to gun violence prevention and intervention programs, Gov. Wes Moore and the Department of Health announced Wednesday.
The state's Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention awarded the grant money to 17 organizations, including community groups, local health departments and law enforcement agencies.
The funding will support projects that "implement and strengthen initiatives that promote intervention, training, research and awareness to reduce and prevent gun violence in Maryland," the news release for Wednesday's announcement read.
Some of the projects focus educating people about safe firearm storage, including distributing safety devices like gun locks, to prevent accidental shootings and suicides, according to the release. Others build on behavioral health support programs and resources for victims of gun violence, and others aim to strengthen the processes for surrendering firearms under a Domestic Violence Protective Order.
"My number one priority is the safety of all Marylanders, so we are committed to making investments in our community partners doing the necessary work to protect our communities from the gun violence epidemic," Moore said in a statement. "By committing to an all-of-the-above approach to public safety and tackling gun violence head on, our administration is getting tough on crime and the root causes of crime, driving historic drops in violence and creating a model for the rest of America."
"Gun violence is a public health epidemic, and every day we see the devastating effects it has in Maryland communities,"
Maryland Department of Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani added. "These grants support partners in communities across the state to provide education, resources and support with the common goal of keeping Marylanders safe. Not only can the impact of these programs be felt immediately - but they also inform future strategies that help us to better determine causes and solutions to gun violence."
2027 gun violence prevention grant recipients
The state's Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention was created in 2024 as part of a public health approach to reducing gun violence, harm from gun violence and misuse of guns by partnering federal, state and local agencies with community groups. So far, it has awarded $1.71 million for these efforts.
The following organizations are set to receive the grant funding in 2027:
- Battered Women's Justice Project (BWJP)
- Center for Hope
- Islamic Leadership Institute of America (ILIA)
- Caroline County Sheriff's Office
- Baltimore City Sheriff's Office (BCSO)
- Maryland Crime Victim Resource Center (MCVRC)
- Living Classrooms Foundation (LCF)
- UM Capital Region Medical Center
- Local health departments for Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Frederick, Harford, Howard, St. Mary's, Queen Anne's and Wicomico counties
Gun violence in Maryland
Maryland saw a major reduction in violent crimes overall in 2024, according to data from the U.S. Attorney's Office for Baltimore.
Homicides decreased by 32% since 2021 statewide and by 41% in Baltimore City, the U.S. attorney said in a January 2025 report.
For a second year in a row, Baltimore also ranked No. 2 in the nation for its violence prevention strategy, according to a ranking from the Community Justice Action Fund last month.
The advocacy group looked at 100 cities for its 2025 study, with Washington, D.C. beating out Baltimore for the top spot. Chicago ranked No. 3, followed by Philadelphi and Memphis.
