Criteria used to assess projects include:

• Description of the specific vulnerable population to be served including the needs and strengths of the community, numbers of people to be served, and the role of history, culture and location.
• Presentation of the violent behavior to be addressed, specifically explaining the impact of such violence within the context of the community to be served.
• Clarity and practicality of the proposed intervention including anticipated effectiveness, original program elements and potential to change any current system.
• Cultural appropriateness of the proposed strategy, including how it leverages the community’s own characteristic attributes and vitality.
• Evidence that members of the population to be served have been involved in the development and leadership of the project and that the project reflects knowledge and understanding about the community.
• Active engagement of the nominating funder and any other local grantmakers including how they became involved and what their role has been.
• Capacity of the organization to implement the proposed project and manage grant funds.
• A reasonable and cost-efficient budget.
• Potential for the project to sustain and be valued within the community.
• RWJF does not fund international programs.

In keeping with RWJF standards, we will fund projects comprising a group of grantees diverse in location and type of organization.