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Library and Community Services
DATE: June 16, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM: LaShonda White, Deputy City Manager – Community
Services
Sam Vaughn, Deputy Director of Community Services -
Office of Neighborhood Safety
Subject:
Accept the 2026-2029 California Violence Intervention
and Prevention Grant and Contract with RPAL and
Evident Change for Program Services and Evaluation
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant (CalVIP) grant funding in the amount of $2034,800 for three (3) years has been approved by the Board of
State and Community Corrections (BSCC). The grant will
increase the budget for both the revenues and
expenditures by $2,034,800.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
City staff is requesting City Council approval of a three- year expenditure plan associated with the 2026-2029
California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) grant award issued by the Board of State and Community
Corrections (BSCC) to fund a local collaborative effort to reduce violent activity using evidence-based prevention, intervention, and suppression activities.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution to ACCEPT and APPROPRIATE
grant funds associated with the 2026-2029 California
Violence Intervention and Prevention Program (CalVIP)
grant award in the amount of $2,034,800 and APPROVE
and AUTHORIZE the City Manager or their designee to
negotiate and execute (1) the CalVIP grant agreement
AGENDA
REPORT
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and any amendments thereto; and (2) multi-year
contracts, with termination dates ranging from March 31, 2029, through September 30, 2029, with Richmond
Police Activities League (RPAL) ($450,000) and Evident
Change ($100,00) – Community Services Department
(LaShonda White/Sam Vaughn 510-620-5404).
DISSCUSSION
The City’s Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS) has received funding from the State for the past 13 years to support its violence intervention and prevention program. The 2026-2029 California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) funding award, provided through the Board of State and Community Corrections Department (BSCC), specifically supports ONS’s efforts to further develop and advance sustained City capacity to reduce firearm assault and associated injury through its Street Outreach and Operation Peacemaker Fellowship project (community and individual based gun violence interruption strategy) and the Youth Mentorship Program provided by Richmond Police Activities League’s (RPAL), a nonprofit organization. On February 12, 2026, BSCC notified ONS that the City will be awarded the $2,034,800 three-year grant on February 12, 2026.
ONS intends to use the grant award to fund the Operation Peacemakers Fellowship (OPF), which will include the following specific evidence-based programs:
Street Outreach Workers develop relationships with and provide direct support to youth and young adults who are directly involved with and/or suspected of being involved in firearm activity in Richmond. Street Outreach workers contact and engage targeted participants and offer a spectrum of support services opportunities.
Mentoring supports the healthy development of program participants by addressing their need for positive adult interaction.
Life Skills Training (LST) promotes healthy living/lifestyle and reduces drug and alcohol use among program participants by promoting anti-drug values and self- management.
Healing Circle has been demonstrated to be successful approach to helping communities heal from trauma, by bringing people together to acknowledge what has happened, affirm their traditions, and develop shared support.
Case Management is a client-centered, goal-oriented process of assessing an individual’s need for particular services and obtaining those services. Program participants have complex and interrelated needs, making this approach especially effective.
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Subsidized employment is employment for which the participant’s employer is wholly or partially reimbursed for wages. These programs provide work experience, training in soft skills and business skills, and self-esteem. Studies with a reentry population have shown significant reductions in recidivism for individuals participating in transitional employment opportunities.
Project evaluation, provided by Evident Change, proposes a process evaluation that includes a systematic review of data to delineate the services and activities that support the work of OPF. Additionally, at least (5) five qualitative interviews will be conducted with program staff, local leaders, community members, youth, and parents to understand and document OPF implementation.
The grant will serve 520 youth and young adults aged 14-35 in Richmond and West Contra Costa County through a local collaborative with RPAL in an effort to reduce violence through evidence-based programs and activities. Funds are also allocated to Evident Change for evaluation purposes and to fund financial audit services.
Richmond Police Activities League (RPAL)
RPAL, a nonprofit organization, will receive $450,000 over the three-year service delivery period of the grant April 2026 through March 2029) to provide services for all the partner agencies participants through services including but not limited to mentoring, life skills trainings, service-learning, job readiness, workshops, excursions, subsidized employment, and internships. RPAL was chosen as a contractor due to its lengthy and successful partnership with the City and the positive impact demonstrated on previous CalVIP grants.
Evident Change
Evident Change, a nonprofit organization, will receive $100,000 over three and a half years (April 2026 through September 2028) to provide the grant-mandated evaluation of the program. They will coordinate with all partners to evaluate all goals and methods of the project and ensure proper data is being collected. They will advise and create pre- post assessments for participants, as well as capture program outcomes that will guide their final evaluation report due to the state. Evident Change was chosen as the evaluator due to their decades long commitment to research on inequities in urban America and the justice system. They are a nationally recognized research powerhouse when it comes to these specific topics. They are also an expert on the very specific needs and guidelines the state puts on the evaluation process and final report. They have served as the evaluator for all previous ONS CalVIP grants. They truly grasp ONS’s work and mission, and all the challenges associated with serving the population that this grant mandates us to serve.
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DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Official Notice of Award
Attachment 2 – Resolution
Attachment 3 – Grant Agreement