TVTP Grantee Urban Rural Action Is “Uniting to Prevent Targeted Violence”

On July 13, President Elect Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt during a rally near Butler, Pennsylvania. In response to this horrific incident, the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) released a statement highlighting the urgency and importance of enhancing the national capacity for violence prevention, regardless of the specific form that violence may take. CP3 also recognized this incident as another reminder of why prevention work is so critical to the well-being of our country.

Through the TVTP Grant Program, CP3 provides funding to initiate, develop, or enhance sustainable prevention programs in local communities. One example from an FY22/23 grantee, Urban Rural Action (UR Action), headquartered in Washington, D.C., with community action programs in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Oregon, and Arizona. Recognizing the same need to underscore the importance of violence prevention work in the U.S. following this assassination attempt, they released a public statement condemning political violence and urging communities to continue prevention work. 

UR Action’s FY22 grant project, “Uniting to Prevent Targeted Violence,” seeks to create a space for real conversations around difficult topics in south-central Pennsylvania. Their thoughtful, three-step methodology enhances engagement within communities: 

1. Engage in Constructive Dialogue – Shifting from viewing conversations as competitions to viewing them as collaboration.
2. Deepen Understanding of Societal Challenges – Identifying the root causes of issues and understanding their effects enables focused efforts to tackle challenges effectively.
3. Take Action to Address Those Challenges – Develop actionable plans to achieve goals collectively, emphasizing teamwork.

The goal for UR Action is to create a sustainable local prevention framework to strengthen social cohesion, form and deploy threat assessment and management teams led by local organizations, and elevate community awareness about targeted violence. Through its CP3 grant for “Uniting to Prevent Targeted Violence,” URA has accomplished the following in the Pennsylvania counties it covers:

1. The “Uniting to Prevent Targeted Violence” program grant cycle concluded on Sept. 30, impacting south-central Pennsylvania by building relationships across lines of difference.  In Adams County, UR Action established “Tent Cards” at county events, encouraging participants to express their thoughts on sensitive issues such as race and politics, enabling constructive conversations in a judgment-free environment. 
2. In Dauphin County, UR Action empowered veterans and their service organizations through training on constructive dialogue, dispute resolution, and trauma awareness — tools that are vital in reducing the risk of targeted violence. In York County, UR Action partnered with Suicide Prevention of York and the Hope Squad program to make an impact on the community's epidemics of loneliness, unworthiness, and violence, fostering a compassionate approach to mental health and safety.
3. In Franklin County, UR Action worked to introduce the community to the Threat Assessment and Management Team (TAMT), enhancing protective factors to bolster resilience. 

Acts of targeted violence and terrorism are often preventable with timely interventions. By addressing the underlying conditions that lead individuals toward violence, we can intervene before violence occurs.  

CP3 is committed to continue its support to organizations like UR Action who are working to mitigate risk factors for violence by focusing on helping people. Learn more about CP3.