Research Advisory Committee Hears from Stakeholders and Considers Funding Priorities

The Research Advisory Committee of the National Collaborative on Gun Violence met this month in Washington, D.C. to set priorities for the next round of funding, in 2020.

The independent committee provides oversight and guidance for the collaborative and is responsible for all decisions on grant funding.

At the meeting, on October 17 and 18, committee members held a third round of listening sessions with stakeholders representing a range of perspectives and interests.

The committee heard presentations from:

• Dr. Patrick Carter, Assistant Professor, University of Michigan Emergency Medicine and U-M Injury Center
• Kathleen Ellison, Safer Homes Collaborative, Project Director, Missouri Institute of Mental Health – University of Missouri-St. Louis
• Serena Muhammad, Director Strategic Initiatives, St. Louis Mental Health Board (MHB)
• Samuel Sinyangwe, Campaign Zero and Mapping Police Violence
• Adam Skaggs, Chief Counsel and Policy Director, Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence

“Hearing from practitioners, researchers and advocates on such a wide range of problems has been tremendously important for educating members of the committee about where more and better research on gun violence prevention could make the greatest difference,” said committee chair Frank M. Clark.

Over the past year, presentations on high priority research needs have been made to the committee by almost two dozen organizations, including advocacy organizations focused on suicide, gun safety, gun rights, and violence prevention; professional organizations representing police, physicians groups, and psychologists; community violence prevention providers; and researchers.

The committee also discussed priorities for its second round of funding, and how the collaborative can address gaps in existing research.

“The committee has committed to issuing another broad call for gun policy and gun violence prevention research,” said collaborative director Andrew Morral. “This year, however, in addition to research awards and dissertation awards, we plan to fund one or more one-year post-doctoral fellowships.”

Members also reviewed the status of the 17 research grants awarded in the collaborative’s first round of funding, totaling almost $10 million.

The collaborative expects to release the second request for proposals in January 2020.