ECVN 2025 Impact Report
Introduction
This Impact Report highlights the progress End Community Violence Now (ECVN) made in 2025 to build and strengthen Delaware’s community violence intervention ecosystem. It documents a foundational year focused on alignment, infrastructure, and early outcomes—demonstrating what is possible when communities, government, healthcare, philanthropy, and the private sector work together to address community gun violence as a shared responsibility. The results reflected here represent both measurable progress and the groundwork for sustained, statewide violence prevention.
2025 at a Glance
A Foundational Year for Statewide Impact
In 2025, ECVN focused on building the systems, partnerships, and momentum necessary for long-term violence reduction across Delaware. Key accomplishments include:
- Developed ECVN’s first organizational Strategic Plan
- Completed Delaware’s first statewide CVI landscape analysis
- Launched the CVI Impact & Innovation Grant Program
- Distributed $200,000 in regranting to community-based organizations
- Hosted Delaware’s inaugural Community Violence Intervention Summit
- Expanded statewide coordination across Wilmington, Dover, and Sussex County
- Earned regional and national recognition, elevating Delaware as a CVI thought leader
Our Role in 2025
Building the Backbone for Violence Prevention
In 2025, ECVN served as Delaware’s community-based Office of Violence Prevention—aligning, strategizing, fundraising, grantmaking, advocating, educating, and advancing research and evaluation for the CVI field. Our work centered on strengthening infrastructure, improving cross-sector coordination, and ensuring community-led solutions were supported with resources, data, and visibility.
Grantmaking & Ecosystem Support
Investing in Community-Led Solutions
ECVN launched the CVI Impact & Innovation Grant Program to support organizations implementing evidence-based and community-driven violence prevention strategies. Beyond funding, ECVN paired investments with robust technical assistance, including:
- Pre-application Research & Evaluation training
- One-on-one application and strategy support
- Governance 101 and Community Advocacy training
- Ongoing capacity-building for grantee organizations
This approach ensured resources strengthened both programs and long-term organizational sustainability.
Celebrating Wins
Zero Homicides in Laurel
One of the most powerful outcomes of 2025 was the reduction of gun violence in Laurel, Delaware. In 2025, there were zero homicides or shootings in Laurel—demonstrating what is possible when community leadership, coordinated intervention, and cross-sector support align. This milestone reflects the impact of community-driven strategies and reinforces the importance of sustained investment in prevention.
Convening, Coordination & Advocacy
Aligning Sectors Around a Shared Vision
Throughout 2025, ECVN convened local, state, and national partners to strengthen coordination, advance shared learning, and elevate community violence intervention as a public health and public safety priority in Delaware. Key efforts included:
- Launching CVI coalitions in Wilmington and Dover to align service providers, public agencies, and funders
- Hosting public–private convenings to engage the business community in violence prevention and community safety
- Hosting Delaware’s inaugural Community Violence Intervention (CVI) Summit in partnership with Delaware State University, bringing together survivors, community organizations, policymakers, researchers, funders, and national experts
- Partnering with national organizations to share best practices in policy, research, and implementation
- Supporting statewide advocacy efforts and public education on coordinated gun violence prevention
These convenings strengthened cross-sector relationships and positioned Delaware as an emerging leader in CVI.
Research, Data & Learning
Laying the Groundwork for Accountability
In 2025, ECVN prioritized building the foundation for data-informed violence prevention by:
- Advancing shared metrics and evaluation practices
- Supporting real-time data access conversations with public health and law enforcement partners
- Partnering with academic institutions to strengthen research capacity
- Integrating learning and evaluation into ecosystem activities
This work ensures Delaware’s violence prevention efforts are measurable, transparent, and continuously improving.
Looking Ahead
From Foundation to Scale
While 2025 focused on alignment and infrastructure, ECVN is positioned to scale impact in 2026 and beyond. Priorities include:
- Expanding sustainable funding for community-based CVI organizations
- Deepening public-private partnerships, including healthcare and workforce development
- Strengthening data infrastructure and real-time evaluation
- Continuing professionalization of the CVI workforce
- Supporting local CVI coalitions across all three counties
The progress reflected in this Impact Report represents the beginning of a long-term, statewide movement to end community gun violence.
Call to Action
Ending Community Gun Violence Requires All of Us
Whether you are a community partner, policymaker, funder, or advocate—there is a role for you in building a safer Delaware.
👉 Partner with us.
👉 Invest in the ecosystem.
👉 Learn how coordinated violence prevention works.