Overview
The Shannon Community Safety Initiative (CSI) is a multi-pronged approach to address a community’s gang and youth violence problem. The program focuses on five strategy areas:
- Social intervention
- Suppression
- Opportunity Provision
- Organizational Change
- Community Mobilization
Shannon CSI incorporates the key elements of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Comprehensive Gang Model. The program supports regional, multi-disciplinary approaches to combat gang violence through coordinated prevention, intervention, law enforcement, prosecution, and reentry programs.
This program is made available through state funding.
For information on related funding opportunities, visit pages for the Shannon CSI Local Action Research Partner and Shannon CSI Statewide Research Partner programs.
Eligibility
This funding opportunity is open to multi-disciplinary collaborations working to address high levels of gang violence in their geographic area. Multiple municipalities may apply together as a regional collaborative group, with one municipality serving as the lead applicant and as the fiscal agent for the group. Program partners may include local, state, and nonprofit organizations, as further outlined in the Availability of Grant Funding (AGF).
Key Dates and Materials
Key Dates:
AGF Posted: August 15, 2025
Deadline for Questions: September 5, 2025
Proposals Due: September 26, 2025, no later than 4:00 p.m.
Award Announcements: November/December 2025
Grant Period: On or about January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026
Application Materials:
Shannon Community Safety Initiative AGF
Shannon Community Safety Initiative Online Application
Shannon Community Safety Initiative Budget Worksheet (Attachment A)
Shannon Community Safety Initiative Partner Selection Workbook (Attachment B)
Shannon Community Safety Initiative Crime Reporting Compliance Template (Attachment C)
Related Funding Opportunities
Shannon CSI includes a research component made up of the Local Action Research Partners (LARPs) and the Statewide Research Partner (SRP). LARPs provide strategic, analytic, and research support to individual Shannon CSI sites. The SRP provides similar support to OGR, the LARPs, and all funded Shannon CSI sites and partners without a LARP.
Funding for Shannon CSI sites, LARPs and SRP is awarded through competitive processes overseen by OGR's Justice and Prevention Division. OGR's Research and Policy Analysis Division (RPAD) supports Shannon CSI through data collection and analysis.
Program Impact
For 20 years, the Shannon Community Safety Initiative has been improving the lives of young people and the safety of Massachusetts communities. Read the 2024 Shannon Site Briefs to learn more about work in each funded community, and review the 2024 Shannon Community Safety Initiative Comprehensive Report for more information on the program and its impact. These documents are prepared each year by the Shannon Statewide Research Partner.
Resources for FY25 Grant Recipients
Resources for Shannon CSI funding recipients - Please note that these resources are intended for current grant recipients and should not be submitted with requests for FY26 funding.