Our Mission

Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort Educational Fund is Wisconsin's only statewide grassroots organization solely dedicated to reducing gun violence, injuries and deaths.

Through research, education and advocacy, WAVE Educational Fund raises awareness about firearm violence throughout the state, provides up to date information to the public and to policy makers, and promotes common sense measures that will bring our state to the forefront of gun violence prevention.


Our Story

Founded in 1995, Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort Educational Fund has established a proven track record as the only viable, statewide organization solely dedicated to reducing gun violence, injuries and deaths.

Consider, for example, that we have created a fully functional professional organization; developed an active coalition of partner organizations; served as the leading voice for gun violence prevention in the media and legislature; created and distributed publications and informational materials; developed a model policy to help close under-regulated gun markets; and led one of the few successful campaigns in the country to prevent the legalization of concealed weapons.

Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort began as a wholly volunteer, grassroots organization. By the time it incorporated in 1997, WAVE Educational Fund was already known statewide as a credible source of information regarding gun violence and gun violence prevention.

Some of our accomplishments are outlined below.

• A fully functional professional organization has been created essentially from scratch and is now up and running with a solid infrastructure.
• An active coalition of partner groups is in place, drawn from sectors including public health, violence prevention, law enforcement, families and children, education, faith, grassroots, community and neighborhood-based, and others.
• WAVE Educational Fund now serves as the leading voice for gun violence prevention advocates who want to be heard by policy makers in Wisconsin.
• Publications and research materials have been developed, produced and distributed to wide audiences.
• A successful campaign in Wisconsin against legalizing concealed weapons was led by WAVE Educational Fund.
• A model policy to help close under-regulated gun markets by extending criminal background checks to all gun transactions in the state was developed by WAVE Educational Fund and will be considered by policy makers.
• A model policy to ban assault weapons, .50 caliber sniper rifles, and high-capacity magazines has been developed by WAVE Educational Fund.
• Individual grassroots gun violence prevention activists around the state can now call on and count on one group for information and assistance.
• The news media now regularly features opinion pieces and comments from WAVE Educational Fund staff and volunteer activists around the state.

Experience has made clear that all of our past efforts and successes have set us on the right course. Moving forward, our visions for the future, coupled with adequate support for our endeavors, will allow us to serve as a model of success in preventing gun violence, injuries and deaths.