Stop Handgun Violence

What Stop Handgun Violence does

Stop Handgun Violence (SHV) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 1994 by John Rosenthal and the late Michael Kennedy, headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts. The organization conducts gun violence prevention advocacy through three core product lines: (1) policy advocacy and direct engagement with state and federal legislators on gun safety bills, (2) public awareness campaigns including its long-running billboard program on the Massachusetts Turnpike, the annual #WearOrange Gun Violence Awareness Month initiative, and earned media placements by Rosenthal and Executive Director Sonya Coleman in outlets such as the Boston Globe, NBC Boston, GBH, and the Eagle Tribune, and (3) educational resources including the Massachusetts Gun Violence Reduction & Prevention Model, Fast Facts on Gun Violence, Safe Storage Tips, the Student Advocacy Toolkit, and the Massachusetts Firearms Data Dashboards.

The organization's technology footprint is non-commercial: it operates an advocacy website (stophandgunviolence.org), uses ActBlue for donation processing, EveryAction for newsletter/action-alert distribution, and publishes data dashboards aggregating anonymized firearms incident data (victim demographics, offender demographics, disposition by offense severity). It has no proprietary platform, app, or API, and no AI/ML capability of its own. SHV functions as a single integrated mission rather than a modular product business.

Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: organizing the Concert Across America (2016), the 50 Miles More march from Worcester to Smith & Wesson in Springfield (2018), student rallies with March for Our Lives at Harvard Yard and Boston Common (2023), and recurring Massachusetts State House advocacy days. Revenue mechanics are donation-based - individual contributions, foundation grants (one disclosed: $50,000 from The Boston Foundation in 2018), and grassroots fundraising - with no products or services sold. Primary supporter segments are concerned citizens, gun violence survivors, student activists, and Massachusetts state and federal policymakers.

Name

Stop Handgun Violence

Legal name

Stop Handgun Violence

Website

https://stophandgunviolence.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stop Handgun Violence is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1994 and based in Beverly, Massachusetts that advocates for gun violence prevention through policy advocacy, public awareness campaigns, and educational resources for concerned citizens, survivors, student activists, and Massachusetts policymakers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gun Violence Prevention Advocacy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Other Social Advocacy Organizations (813319), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

akta.pro primary industry

Gun Violence Prevention & Public Safety Policy Advocacy (BPAGAFAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Criminal Justice Reform & Legal System Advocacy (BPAGAFAI)

Keywords

• Gun violence prevention
• Firearm policy advocacy
• Public safety campaigns
• Community violence intervention
• Legislative advocacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Beverly

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Stop Handgun Violence relies on donations from individuals, foundations, and supporters to fund advocacy activities, public awareness campaigns, and legislative efforts.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Stop Handgun Violence is a nonprofit advocacy organization that prevents gun violence through public awareness campaigns, policy advocacy, and education. Its work centers on the Massachusetts Gun Violence Reduction & Prevention Model, a three-pronged framework combining public awareness, effective gun laws, and community violence intervention that has helped reduce Massachusetts gun deaths by 40% since 1994.

Product overview

Stop Handgun Violence is a nonprofit advocacy organization that operates as a single integrated offering focused on gun violence prevention through public awareness campaigns, policy advocacy, and education. The organization's core products include gun violence prevention advocacy programs working with coalition partners, public awareness campaigns featuring billboard advertising and community events like #WearOrange Gun Violence Awareness Month, educational resources including victim stories and advocacy toolkits, the Massachusetts Gun Violence Reduction & Prevention Model documenting their three-pronged approach, and the Massachusetts Firearms Data Dashboard providing public access to anonymized firearms incident data. There is no platform-plus-modules architecture; all offerings are components of a unified advocacy mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gun Violence Prevention Advocacy Programs Policy advocacy and legislative initiatives to strengthen gun laws at state and federal levels, working with coalition partners to advance common-sense gun safety legislation for the general public and policymakers.
• Public Awareness Campaigns Billboard campaigns, media advocacy, and community outreach to raise awareness about gun violence prevention, including the #WearOrange Gun Violence Awareness Month initiatives, targeting the general public and policymakers.
• Massachusetts Gun Violence Reduction & Prevention Model A documented three-pronged approach (raise public awareness, enact effective gun laws, invest in focused public education and community violence intervention programs) that has achieved a 40% reduction in gun deaths since 1994, offered to policymakers and other states as a replicable framework.
• Massachusetts Firearms Data Dashboard Public data dashboards providing aggregated and anonymized firearms incident data including victim demographics, offender demographics, and offense severity information to inform research and policy discussions for the general public, researchers, and policymakers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Massachusetts reduced gun deaths by 40% since 1994
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MA Coalition to Prevent Gun ViolencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing coalition partner in Massachusetts working jointly on legislative advocacy, State House advocacy days, Gun Violence Awareness Month events, and public awareness campaigns. SHV collaborates closely with this statewide coalition on policy initiatives and grassroots organizing.
• Moms Demand ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partner organization working with SHV on gun violence prevention advocacy, legislative action, and awareness campaigns. Joint participation in State House advocacy days and Gun Violence Awareness Month activities.
• GIFFORDScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. SHV collaborates with GIFFORDS on legislative advocacy, survivor events (including Gabby Giffords' appearance at Fenway for Gun Violence Awareness Night), and policy initiatives.
• BradycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational gun violence prevention organization partnering with SHV on advocacy campaigns, legislative efforts, and awareness events including Gun Violence Awareness Month press conferences.
• Everytown for Gun SafetycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor national gun safety organization that has worked with SHV and other partners on legislative priorities including comprehensive background checks and gun safety legislation.
• States United to Prevent Gun ViolencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational coalition of state-level gun violence prevention organizations. SHV Executive Director Sonya Coleman serves as Board Chair. Participated in annual conferences and White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention meetings.
• March for Our LivescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth-led gun violence prevention organization. SHV partnered with March for Our Lives to organize major rallies at Harvard Yard and Boston Common, student organizing projects, and survivor engagement activities.
• Change The RefminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGun violence prevention organization founded by Manuel and Patricia Oliver (parents of victim from Parkland shooting). SHV hosted their School Bus of Change tour and Gun Violence Memorial Project at Boston City Hall featuring AI-powered Shotline technology.
• Grassroots for Gun Violence PreventionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner organization hosting community events including Gun Violence Awareness Month activities at Woburn Common and other Massachusetts communities.
• Grandmothers Against Gun ViolenceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal advocacy organization holding regular events including annual bake sales and awareness activities during Gun Violence Awareness Month in Massachusetts.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Coalition to Stop Gun Violence: Coalition to Stop Gun Violence is a national gun violence prevention organization that conducts policy research and advocacy. It is directly comparable in mission to SHV as a national policy advocacy peer organization.
• Change the Ref: Change the Ref is a gun violence prevention organization founded by Manuel and Patricia Oliver (parents of a Parkland victim) that uses art, activism, and technology to advocate for gun safety. SHV hosted Change the Ref's School Bus of Change tour and the Gun Violence Memorial Project at Boston City Hall.
• Sandy Hook Promise: Sandy Hook Promise is a national gun violence prevention organization founded after the Sandy Hook shooting, focused on school-based violence prevention programs and gun safety legislation. It is a direct peer in advocacy mission and a likely coalition partner for SHV.
• Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence: The Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence is the statewide coalition of gun violence prevention organizations. SHV is a long-standing core member and coalition partner working jointly on legislative advocacy, State House advocacy days, and awareness campaigns.
• March for Our Lives: March for Our Lives is a youth-led gun violence prevention organization founded after the Parkland shooting. SHV partners with MFOL to organize rallies at Harvard Yard and Boston Common and to run student organizing projects, making it a directly aligned peer in mission and tactics.
• States United to Prevent Gun Violence: States United is a national coalition of state-level gun violence prevention organizations. SHV's Executive Director Sonya Coleman serves as Board Chair, and SHV hosts the coalition's safe storage and ERPO resources. SHV is a lead member organization of this coalition.

Broad incumbents

• Moms Demand Action: Moms Demand Action is a grassroots gun violence prevention movement that is part of Everytown. SHV collaborates with Moms Demand Action on State House advocacy days, Gun Violence Awareness Month events, and legislative action campaigns in Massachusetts.
• Everytown for Gun Safety: Everytown is the largest U.S. gun violence prevention organization, founded by Michael Bloomberg. It funds and supports state-level advocacy coalitions including SHV's partners, operates Moms Demand Action, and pursues federal and state gun safety legislation. Direct partner of SHV on legislative priorities.
• Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence: Giffords is a national gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords that grades state gun laws (Massachusetts earned Grade A) and advocates for federal and state gun safety legislation. Core coalition partner of SHV.
• Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/stophandguns
• Facebookfacebook.com/stophandgunviolence
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stop-handgun-violence

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stop Handgun Violence