Discussions about firearms in the US are often focused on urban gun violence and mass shootings. But firearm injury and death is a public health crisis that touches every community—urban and rural, red states and blue—and it intersects with issues many health funders care about: mental health, suicide prevention, and health equity, underscoring the importance of facilitating effective collaboration for gun violence prevention.

For many health funders, the question isn’t whether to engage in the work of preventing gun violence and death; it is about how to do so effectively, especially in politically complex environments. The answer increasingly lies in collaboration, both with community partners and with other funders facing similar challenges. In this article, we explore how the partnership between a national funder collaborative and a place-based health foundation is addressing firearm injury and death, particularly in communities often overlooked in national conversations.

The Health Case for Gun Violence Prevention

Firearms are the leading cause of death among children and teens and the fear of gun violence permeates our schools. Overall, gun violence kills tens of thousands of Americans annually and firearm suicide is the leading cause of those deaths (Gramlich, 2025). For health funders, addressing firearm risk—and the chronic and systemic conditions that intersect with it—is increasingly critical for achieving health equity goals.

Yet many health funders remain uncertain about their role in this space. Gun violence can feel politically fraught, policy pathways may seem blocked, and the connections to traditional health programs may not be obvious. These concerns are particularly acute for funders working in conservative states or rural communities, where gun ownership is common and residents may be skeptical of prevention efforts perceived as threatening Second Amendment rights.

Facilitating Community-Centered Collaboration for Gun Violence Prevention

Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) faced exactly these challenges when they began exploring gun violence prevention work in 2016. As a health funder serving three-quarters of Missouri—including urban St. Louis, rural farming communities, and everything in between—MFH needed an approach that would resonate across diverse political and cultural regions.

Read the full article about facilitating collaboration for gun violence prevention by Jessi LaRose and Talia Wright at Grantmakers In Health.