National Mass Shooting Victims' Fund
This program is currently paused for fundraising. We are not currently accepting new applications for emergency financial assistance. For help, call: 706.842.8467
Background
VictimsFirst's National Mass Shooting Victims' Fund is open to all victims and survivors of incidents of mass violence that have occurred in the United States. This Fund provides emergency financial assistance to those directly impacted through annual grants of $500 and $1,000 for urgent needs.
Since our inception, VictimsFirst has been providing emergency financial assistance to victims of mass violence through our General Victims Fund. On January 1, 2023, the board voted to streamline our efforts and rename our General Victims' Fund as the National Mass Shooting Victims' Fund so that it is more easily discoverable and accessible. The National Mass Shooting Victims' Fund is still open to all victims/survivors of mass violence, whether it is a mass shooting, bombing, or some other form of attack. Since mass shootings make up the majority of mass casualty crimes in the United States, we opted to reference mass shootings specifically in the name of the fund in hopes that we will be able to reach more victims/survivors.
We define a mass casualty crime as a single incident in which four or more people are murdered or more than four people wounded in a random act of mass violence. A mass shooting or mass casualty crime typically occurs in a single place and time but can include multiple locations in close proximity to each other.
Who is Eligible
To be eligible for emergency financial assistance, applicants must:
1. Be directly impacted by a mass casualty crime:
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direct family member of a murdered victim;
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a wounded (shot) survivor;
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an injured survivor;
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or a survivor who was not physically injured, but was present.
2. Provide proof of victim/survivor status, this may include:
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the name and contact information for your victims' advocate or legal advocate
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official government documentation naming you as a victim/survivor (police reports, court/legal documents, etc.)
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for other options, please email us: contact@victimsfirst.org
3. Not have received an emergency assistance grant from the National Mass Shooting Victims' Fund within the calendar year.
Neither citizenship nor immigration status will be considered in determining an applicant’s eligibility.
The National Mass Shooting Victims' Fund was established to help cover emergency needs only.
Emergency Needs Grants
For years, we have successfully supported the National Mass Shooting Victims' Fund through donations. Although our resources have always been limited, we’ve been able to assist victims and survivors by mostly covering each individual's essential needs, whatever those may be. This has included covering the total costs of medical expenses not covered by insurance, mental health therapy, housing, accessibility needs, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, and other basics.
However, with increasing incidents of mass violence and their cumulative effects, we have struggled to meet the growing needs of victims and survivors. Unfortunately, we are no longer able to cover all necessary expenses for each individual.
To keep the National Mass Violence Victims' Fund operational, we have introduced new annual limitations on the amount of financial assistance available to each person. These adjustments are intended to ensure the longevity of the Fund and help set realistic expectations, enabling victims/survivors to better plan for future needs and understand the resources that are currently available.
We now offer a limited number of $500 and $1,000 grants. Each quarter, a limited number of grants will be made available to ensure financial assistance remains accessible throughout the year, as donations permit. Victims/survivors of mass violence can apply for a single $500 or $1,000 emergency grant each calendar year through our new application form, available here.
We understand that these grants will not cover all the needs of victims/survivors. However, our goal is to help as many individuals as possible with their urgent needs, using 100% of the donations made to the Fund.
We guarantee 100% of the donations to the National Mass Shooting Victims' Fund will go directly to victims/survivors, and we will distribute every penny until our account balance for the Fund is zero. Our ability to fulfill requests for emergency financial assistance is entirely dependent upon donations. VictimsFirst does not take any administration fees from donations.
All requests for emergency financial assistance are reviewed by the National Mass Shooting Fund Committee. We cannot pay personal legal fees or provide financial assistance during bankruptcy proceedings. We may ask for additional documentation for verification purposes (if needed). We will reach out to you within 48 hours with the Committee's decision. If you do not hear from us within 48 hours of your submission, please reach out to us by emailing us at contact@victimsfirst.org or by calling us at 706-VICTIMS.
