Bakersfield to Receive Nearly $5 Million in CalVIP Violence Prevention Funding

The state's investment aims to reduce violent crime through community-based efforts.

Feb. 25, 2026 at 1:27am

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The city of Bakersfield, California is set to receive nearly $5 million in funding from the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) program, as the state continues to invest in community-based efforts to reduce violent crime. The governor's office has reported a 12% decrease in violent crime in California's major cities, and Bakersfield saw a 40% drop in homicides from 2020 to 2023, which officials attribute to local partnerships with organizations like Garden Pathways.

Why it matters

The CalVIP funding will allow Bakersfield to expand its reach and provide more resources and mentors from within the community to address violence in the city as well as surrounding areas that are also struggling with community violence.

The details

The nearly $5 million in CalVIP funding will go towards Bakersfield's efforts to reduce violent crime through community-based programs and partnerships. Organizations like Garden Pathways, which provides mentoring services to empower youth, will be able to use the grant money to expand their reach and hire more mentors from the local community.

  • Since 2019, more than $350 million has been invested in the CalVIP program.
  • In 2024, the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform was commissioned to do a cost analysis of every fatal and nonfatal shooting in Bakersfield.
  • The institute concluded that in 2023, Bakersfield saw a 40% decrease in homicides from 2020.

The players

Garden Pathways

A local organization dedicated to mentoring services that empower youth.

Christian Clegg

The city manager of Bakersfield, who said partnering with organizations like Garden Pathways strengthens the city's connection to people most at risk.

Juan Avila

The chief operating officer at Garden Pathways, who expressed excitement about the state's investment in community violence intervention efforts.

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What they’re saying

“We're super excited that the state of California is actually investing in community violence intervention efforts.”

— Juan Avila, Chief Operating Officer, Garden Pathways

“They can reach people we can't reach. And Garden Pathways provides this incredible case management client services, so does CAPK, that we're just not built to do and they're bringing the dividends.”

— Christian Clegg, City Manager, Bakersfield

What’s next

The governor's office has touted recent data showing violent crime is down 12% in California's major cities, and Bakersfield's efforts to reduce homicides through community partnerships will likely continue to be a focus going forward.

The takeaway

The nearly $5 million in CalVIP funding for Bakersfield represents the state's ongoing commitment to investing in community-based violence intervention programs, which have shown promising results in reducing violent crime and building stronger connections between local government and the communities most impacted by violence.