The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) is soliciting investigator-initiated research that will help expand and advance understanding of approaches to prevent community violence and eliminate racial and ethnic inequities in risk for community violence. This initiative is intended to support effectiveness research to evaluate innovative programs, practices, or policies to address risk for violence and inequities in risk for violence among groups experiencing a high burden of community violence. Innovative approaches are those that have not been rigorously evaluated for effectiveness in reducing community violence. Consistent with CDC’s commitment to achieving health equity, investigation of inequities in exposure to and uptake of the selected approaches, and/or stratified analyses examining the differential impacts of the approach across populations disproportionately impacted by violence is a priority. Funds are available to conduct studies focused on preventing all forms of community violence involving youth or young adults (ages 10-34 years), including assaults, homicides, violence between groups, and threats/use of weapons.

The primary objectives we wish to achieve with this initiative are:

• Objective One: Effectiveness research to evaluate innovative approaches with the potential for immediate or near immediate benefits (i.e., within 6 months) for reducing community violence and racial/ethnic inequities in risk for community violence.
• Objective Two: Effectiveness research to evaluate innovative place-based prevention approaches for reducing community violence and racial/ethnic inequities in risk for community violence.
• Objective Three: Effectiveness research to evaluate approaches that improve the social or structural conditions that contribute to community violence and racial/ethnic inequities in risk for community violence.

Deadline: Dec. 1, 2023