Funding is critical for effective violence prevention. Significant investment will help ensure that young people and their families and communities have the necessary supports and opportunities. Many cities already have multiple resources invested in violence prevention and strategic plans and strategies should inform how this investment can be maximized.

"All too often our public policy process ignores the wisdom of prevention, funding repairs rather than maintenance, prisons rather than positive interventions, and restoration rather than prevention. To the extent that policy is a promise, we promise that if someone is bad, expensive and sometimes harsh solutions await. We need a companion promise."
—Jack Calhoun, consultant to National League of Cities