Best Grants for Gun Violence Prevention in Iowa

Friends of NRA

Friends of NRA is the National Rifle Association’s premier fundraising program, supporting the future of shooting sports. Since day one, Friends of NRA has been a 100% grassroots effort fueled by a united front to secure the Second Amendment and raise money for the shooting sports.

Committee volunteers are appointed to State Fund Committees to make recommendations for local grant funding in areas such as youth education, women-focused clinics, law enforcement training, hunter safety, range improvement, firearms and marksmanship training and safety. Recognizing the impact American youth has on the future of the shooting sports, State Fund Committees frequently recommend grants for youth programs, allocating the most significant portion of monies to this vital area.

Grant awards fund activities and support programs in the United States to promote firearms and hunting safety, to enhance marksmanship skills of those in the shooting sports, and to educate the public about firearms in their historic, technological and artistic context.

Friends of NRA State Fund Grant Program - Iowa

The Friends of NRA State Fund Grant Program provides supplies, equipment, and financial support to a variety of qualified groups and programs at the local level; geared towards youth, women, law enforcement, veterans, the disabled, and the general public, including:

• General shooting programs
• Competitive shooting
• Education, training and safety
• Hunting and conservation
• Community outreach
• Historical education

Grant funding must be used to further a charitable purpose as defined by the Internal Revenue Code under section 501(c)(3) and accompanying rules, regulations, and other IRS law and materials.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations running national or multi-state democracy and civil liberties initiatives, including gun violence prevention, can apply for funding from the Lisa & Douglas Goldman Fund. Programs that protect voting rights, reduce money in politics, or strengthen gun violence prevention policy and education may be eligible, including work that serves communities in Iowa.

Students in Iowa affected by gun violence can receive advocacy and leadership training through the Survivor Fellowship Program, a one-year volunteer fellowship focused on personal storytelling and organizing. Focused on gun violence prevention, Everytown for Gun Safety invites eligible student survivors to share their experiences with communities, lawmakers, and media to help drive meaningful change nationwide.

Women nationally recognized for advancing shooting sports, firearms education, or Second Amendment advocacy may be eligible for this national honor, which can include Iowa-based leaders. The NRA Foundation’s Sybil Ludington Women’s Freedom Award celebrates women whose volunteer service, education, or meritorious actions significantly promote NRA goals and responsible firearm use, which may intersect with community safety or gun violence prevention efforts.

Healthcare organizations and research institutions working on firearm injury prevention and treatment, including those in Iowa, can seek up to US $100,000 from the Kaiser Permanente Center for Gun Violence Research and Education to build research capacity. Focus is on developing and scaling clinical and health system approaches that prevent, treat, and heal firearm-related harms in heavily impacted communities.

Healthcare institutions and research organizations in Iowa working on gun violence prevention can seek pilot or formative healthcare research funding to test and expand clinical interventions. Grants from Kaiser Permanente help U.S. health-focused teams study evidence-informed practices addressing firearm injury, death, and suicide, especially in heavily impacted communities.

Research institutions and similar organizations in Iowa and other eligible U.S. jurisdictions can seek support to rigorously evaluate strategies that prevent firearm-related injuries, deaths, and crime. With a mission to reduce injury and violence, Dept. of Health & Human Services: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention provides up to US $650,000 for studies using existing or newly collected data.

Rapid Response Grants 

Emergency funding after mass tragedies.

In the wake of tragic mass events, such as shooting, speed matters. Our Rapid Response Grants provide expedited funding to victims and their families when time is of the essence. These grants ensure that families aren’t left waiting for critical support when they need it most.

• Awarded swiftly after mass casualty events
• Designed to provide urgent, compassionate support in crisis situations

The BJA FY 2026 Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intelligence Center Integration Initiative aims to support law enforcement agencies in establishing and expanding Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGICs). This initiative encourages interagency collaboration for the effective management and analysis of crime gun evidence, enhancing the ability to swiftly identify crime guns and their sources. In partnership with the ATF, this program seeks to reduce firearm-related crime and improve prosecution outcomes.

The Preventing Violence Affecting Young Lives (PREVAYL 2.0) initiative aims to provide multiyear funding for state and local health departments to implement violence prevention strategies for adolescents and young adults. Key focuses include enhancing data-driven decision-making, building capacity for evidence-based strategies, integrating youth mental health support, fostering multisector collaborations, and prioritizing the prevention of various forms of violence, ensuring comprehensive support for youth development.

Jewish community–serving 501(c)(3) public charities in Iowa or working nationally on gun violence prevention, civic engagement, climate, or reproductive health can apply for Lisa & Douglas Goldman Fund support; awards fund programs, not individuals. Eligible organizations must submit a letter of inquiry and may be invited to submit a full proposal.