Portland announces a historic investment in community violence intervention

This investment provides long-term stability for Ceasefire and its community-based partners, strengthens services for those at highest risk of gun violence, supports an experienced violence intervention workforce, and allows the strategy to adapt as trends and community needs change.

Importantly, ongoing funding does not guarantee the same budget every year, but it provides a stronger foundation to sustain a coordinated, data-driven violence reduction strategy and continue building on the progress that has made Portland a national leader in gun violence reduction.

"We are grateful to Mayor Wilson, City Administrator Raymond Lee, and Portland City Council for this commitment and to our community partners who do this work every day," said Sierra Ellis, Portland Ceasefire Program Manager.

How Were Funding Decisions Made?

Applications were reviewed through a competitive process by a diverse panel of subject matter experts and community members with experience and knowledge of Community Violence Intervention. Panelists evaluated applications using established criteria, including organizational experience, proposed services, ability to serve those at highest risk of gun violence, and connection to the communities most impacted.

Final funding decisions also considered available resources and the need to build a strong network of providers offering complementary services across Portland. While we were unable to fund every organization that applied, the process was designed to direct limited resources toward services that best support the needs of individuals, families, and communities most impacted by gun violence.

How is This Funding Used?

Ceasefire's budget supports both the City infrastructure necessary to operate Portland's Gun Violence Reduction Strategy and the community-based organizations delivering services directly to people at the highest risk of gun violence. This is broken down as follows:

• Ceasefire Personnel — 9% - Supports the City staff responsible for managing and coordinating the Ceasefire strategy, including program operations, referrals, data and analysis, community partnerships, contract oversight, and coordination across the public safety system.
• Internal Materials & Services (IMS) — 1% - IMS supports the City staff responsible for managing and coordinating the Ceasefire strategy, including program operations, referrals, data and analysis, community partnerships, contract oversight, and coordination across the public safety system.
• External Materials & Services (EMS) — 90% - EMS supports all Ceasefire's contracts and services delivered outside of the City, with the majority of these resources invested directly in community-based organizations providing violence intervention services to the community.

Approximately 94% (or $6.1M) of Ceasefire's FY2026/2027 EMS funding is invested directly in community-based organizations and providers doing gun violence reduction work. This is broken down as follows:

• Adult Intensive Case Management: 51% ($3.1M) - Adult Intensive Case Management (ICM) provides culturally specific case management and wraparound support to individuals at the highest risk of gun violence. Services focus on reducing risk, increasing stability, and connecting participants to resources and long-term support.
  • Adult ICM Providers:
    • Going Home II
    • Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC)
    • Nurture Outreach Organization
• Youth Intensive Case Management: 34% ($2M) - Youth Intensive Case Management provides culturally specific support to high-risk youth and their families. Services focus on changing high-risk behaviors, strengthening family support, and helping young people build safer, more stable pathways forward.
  • Youth ICM Providers:
    • Healing Enrichment and Learning Purposes (HELP)
    • GUIA Mentoring
    • Nurture Outreach Organization
• Hospital-Based Violence Intervention: 7% ($400K) - Hospital-Based Violence Intervention provides 90 days of intensive case management to victims of gun violence following hospitalization. Services focus on immediate stabilization, reducing the risk of retaliation or reinjury, and connecting victims to ongoing support and resources.
  • Provider:
    • Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC) – Healing Hurt People
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): 3% ($200K) - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy combines culturally specific, licensed clinical support with evidence-informed interventions designed to help individuals and groups shift behaviors, thought patterns, and decision-making. Services also connect participants to workforce opportunities and other resources that support long-term stability.
  • CBT Provider:
    • Dr. Keith Dempsey
• Professional Services, Relocation Assistance & Other Program Supports: 5% ($314K) - These investments support the infrastructure and operational needs of Ceasefire and its contracted providers, including the Apricot case management and data system used to document services, track participant progress, and support program accountability. Funding also supports technical assistance, training, and capacity-building for community-based organizations and the Ceasefire team to strengthen the overall violence intervention system.
  • Provider:
    • Latino Coalition

Why Did Ceasefire Invest This Way?

Ceasefire's investments are driven by data regarding shooting incidents, emerging trends, identified service gaps, and what we learn from working directly with people at the highest risk of gun violence.

This year, Ceasefire expanded the network of trusted partners available to reach some of the community members who are hardest to engage.

• We expanded our investment in youth. While Portland has experienced significant overall reductions in gun violence, Ceasefire has seen concerning changes in the severity and rapid escalation of violence involving young people. In response, we expanded from two youth providers to three, increasing our capacity to identify, engage, and support young people before violence escalates.
• We added culturally specific Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Access to behavioral health and therapeutic services has remained a significant service gap for Ceasefire participants. This year, we invested in culturally specific providers to deliver Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, giving participants essential tools to address trauma, emotional regulation, decision-making, conflict, and behaviors associated with increased risk of violence.
• We maintained targeted investment in culturally specific services. The demographics of those most impacted by gun violence can change, and our investments must be able to change with them.Ceasefire's 2026 year-to-date data show a continued decline in the proportion of shooting victims who are Black, while the proportion of Hispanic/Latino victims remains elevated. Ceasefire maintained investment in Latino-specific services to make sure resources remain responsive to the communities currently experiencing disproportionate impacts.
• Ceasefire has dedicated funding that will provide direct technical assistance, training, and capacity-building support to our community-based partners. This support will help reduce the administrative and operational pressures that newer and smaller organizations often face, strengthen their ability to successfully manage public funding, and create more opportunities for a diverse range of community-based organizations to participate in and sustain this work.

What is the Ceasefire Strategy?

Portland's Gun Violence Reduction Strategy, Ceasefire, continues to show significant progress. Since July 2022, at the height of Portland's gun violence surge, the City's 12-month rolling averages for homicides, shootings, and shooting victims have declined substantially.

Our approach is not static. Ceasefire is data-informed, responsive, and designed to adjust as gun violence changes. When the people, places, patterns, and circumstances associated with violence change, we adjust our strategy and investments with them.

Our goal is not simply to fund programs. Our goal is to put resources where the data show they are needed most, reach the people at the highest risk, and continue building a sustainable community violence intervention system for Portland. 

Portland has also been recognized nationally for the magnitude of its gun violence reductions, ranking 13th among major U.S. cities experiencing declines of more than 50% in homicides—nearly twice the national rate of gun violence reductions.

Where can I find more information about Ceasefire?

To ensure transparency in its services, Ceasefire publishes:

• Detailed monthly reports on its website that includes data on shooting incidents, homicides, demographics, referrals, and much more. 
• Annual Reports overviewing yearly data
• Quarterly Reports designed to quickly identify emerging trends

Who Can I Contact for More Information?

Please do not hesitate to email the main Ceasefire inbox (ceasefire@portlandoregon.gov).

If you think you know someone who may be in need of Ceasefire services, please submit a referral on our website.