Biden administration offering $85M in grants to help boost jobs in violence-plagued communities

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is preparing to offer $85 million in federal grants aimed at improving job opportunities for young people in communities affected by gun violence and crime.

It is part of the government’s efforts to not only meet the immediate needs of communities following acts of violence, but also promote longer-term recovery and resilience.

Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, was scheduled to speak about the grants on Wednesday.

“It is clear that with gun violence being the leading cause of premature death among all young people in America, we must take a whole-of-government public health approach to addressing this crisis,” said Greg Jackson, deputy director of the White House Bureau for gun violence prevention.

President Joe Biden has called gun violence “the ultimate superstorm,” impacting not only victims but the daily lives of community members. His government says the response should more closely resemble how the government acts after natural disasters.

Jackson said the grants will provide important resources to community organizations and government leaders and invest in those most at risk of violence. He said it was a way to address both “the lack of economic opportunity and the crisis of gun violence.”

The grants are open to nonprofits, governments and community leaders to fund education, skills training and paid work experience. The money is made available through the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.