The National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research funds rigorous scientific research with direct relevance to firearm-violence reduction in the United States. We prioritize research that can provide critical information not yet available to inform policies to prevent gun violence. The Collaborative does not fund advocacy.
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Our Current Focus Areas
In 2021, the Collaborative funded one-year research projects in two topic areas: firearm suicide, and the rights and intersts of gun owners. Funding was also available for dissertation and postdoctoral awards, and supplemental awards to expand existing Collaborative-funded work.
In previous funding rounds, the Collaborative has funded descriptive and basic research to assess the characteristics associated with different aspects of gun violence, and applied and policy research to inform effective interventions and strategies for reducing reducing gun violence. The Collaborative funded descriptive/basic research in five main areas: urban gun violence, domestic gun violence, mass shootings, gun suicides, and officer-involved shootings.
The Collaborative has also funded applied or policy research that can inform the effectiveness of interventions that are implemented by or involve the community, law enforcement, schools or other service system organizations. Research in this category also includes a range of policy analyses, such as analysis of existing and potential gun regulations at the local, state, and federal levels; and evaluation of organizational policies, such as police use-of-force policies or training standard.
- Defensive Gun Use
- Domestic Gun Violence
- Gun Suicides
- Intervention Research
- Non-Lethal Firearm Injuries
- Officer-Involved Shootings
- Policy Analysis
- Urban Gun Violence
How Grants are Awarded
Prior to making grant awards, the Research Advisory Committee solicits input from a range of firearm research stakeholders—for example, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the National Rifle Association, March for Our Lives, Everytown for Gun Safety, Major Cities Chiefs Association, and the American College of Emergency Physicians—on where new research on gun policy is most needed.
All proposals are reviewed by at least two Ph.D.-level researchers, Collaborative staff, and the Committee, which makes all funding decisions.
All funded researchers must follow strict transparency guidelines that require, at a minimum, public commitment to an analysis plan in advance of their conducting their analyses and the sharing of their data to the maximum extent possible.
Research Advisory Committee
The Research Advisory Committee is a non-partisan, independent body that determines the overall direction of the Collaborative's research and makes all funding decisions. With broad representation from law enforcement, government, education, health, business, and academia, it invites input from a range of experts and ensures transparency.
See Committee MembersFrequently Asked Questions
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What are the standards you use to select research projects to fund?
Research projects are selected first and foremost for their scientific rigor. Proposals are reviewed by two independent Ph.D.-level researchers, the Collaborative staff, and members of the Collaborative’s Research Advisory Committee. As well as studies that are scientifically robust, we aim to select proposals that represent a diversity of ideas and perspectives from new and established researchers, including research investigators with backgrounds in economics, sociology, criminal justice, psychology, epidemiology, and computer science. In addition to much-needed evidence to inform gun policies, the selected projects will strengthen the research field by building, expanding, and improving data sets to explore questions related to firearms.
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What is the process for reviewing submitted proposals?
Letters of interest are reviewed by Collaborative research staff and independent reviewers before the RAC selects applicants to submit full proposals. Each full proposal receives a scientific merit review from at least two Ph.D.-level researchers with expertise in the proposal’s content area, Collaborative staff, and members of the RAC. The RAC makes final funding decisions based on criteria to ensure transparency and rigor.
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How do you identify research priorities for the Collaborative?
The RAC identifies funding priorities, drawing on input from a range of firearms stakeholders to inform its decision-making. These stakeholders have included representatives from groups such as the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the National Rifle Association, March for Our Lives, Everytown for Gun Safety, Major Cities Chiefs Association, and the American College of Emergency Physicians.
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How do you ensure transparency and replicability in the research process?
All funded projects must post detailed analytic plans on OSF.io—a research transparency website—in advance of conducting the research to ensure that departures from the original analytic plan will be public. There are legitimate reasons why this might occur, but publication of the analytic plan ensures that such departures are acknowledged. Projects are also required to share data and statistical analysis code on the same website so that others can review their findings, although in some cases not all data can be shared.
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What kinds of research projects has the Collaborative funded?
The projects funded represent work on a range of critical topics, including firearm suicide, officer-involved shootings, domestic violence, safe firearm storage, and reducing gun violence in schools. Read more on our current projects.
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How can I keep up to date with new requests for proposals?
To stay informed, sign up below for email updates on new research RFPs and new research and funded projects. If you would like to partner with us to help advance our mission, contact Andrew Morral, Collaborative director.