(1) The Washington firearm violence intervention and prevention grant program is created to be administered by the office. The purpose of the program is to improve public health and safety by supporting effective firearm violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately affected by firearm violence including suicides.

(2) Program grants shall be used to support, expand, and replicate evidence-based violence reduction initiatives, including hospital-based violence intervention programs, evidence-based street outreach programs, and focused deterrence strategies, that seek to interrupt the cycles of violence, victimization, and retaliation in order to reduce the incidence of firearm violence. These initiatives must be primarily focused on providing violence intervention services to the small segment of the population that is identified as having the highest risk of perpetrating or being victimized by firearm violence.

(3) Program grants shall be made on a competitive basis to cities that are disproportionately impacted by violence, to law enforcement agencies in those cities, and to community-based organizations that serve the residents of those cities. Where appropriate, two or more cities may submit joint applications to better address regional problems.

(4) An applicant for a program grant shall submit a proposal, in a form prescribed by the office, which must include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(a) Clearly defined and measurable objectives for the grant;

(b) A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to implement an evidence-based firearm violence reduction initiative in accordance with this section;

(c) A statement describing how the applicant proposes to use the grant to enhance coordination of existing violence prevention and intervention programs and minimize duplication of services; and

(d) Evidence indicating that the proposed firearm violence reduction initiative would likely reduce the incidence of firearm violence.

(5) In awarding program grants, the office shall give preference to applicants whose grant proposals demonstrate the greatest likelihood of reducing firearm violence in the applicant’s community, without contributing to mass incarceration.

(6) Each city that receives a program grant shall distribute no less than fifty percent of the grant funds to one or more of any of the following types of entities:

(a) Community-based organizations;

(b) Indian tribes and tribal organizations; and

(c) Public agencies or departments that are primarily dedicated to community safety or firearm violence prevention.

(7) The office shall form a grant selection advisory committee including, without limitation, persons who have been impacted by violence, formerly incarcerated persons, and persons with direct experience in implementing evidence-based violence reduction initiatives, including initiatives that incorporate public health and community-based approaches.

(8) Each grantee shall report to the office, in a form and at intervals prescribed by the office, the grantee’s progress in achieving the grant objectives.

(9) The office may contract with an independent entity with expertise in evaluating community-based grant-funded programs to evaluate the grant program’s effectiveness.

Finding—Intent—2020 c 313: See note following RCW 43.330A.020.