ROCKFORD, Ill. (WAND) - In efforts to reduce gun violence in the state of Illinois, Governor J.B. Pritzker is outlining the work the state will do to assist communities. 

The governor's Reimagine Public Safety plan is a data-driven and community based violence prevention imitative. The plan will invest $250 million over the next three years to implement programming and services to communities directly impacted by violence. 

"This work is urgent," said Gov. JB Pritzker. 

In Rockford on Tuesday, the governor discussed the impact hundreds of millions of dollars will have on communities throughout the state. A weekend of violence in the city of Rockford on Halloween weekend left six people hurt. The governor hopes this funding will tackle the root causes of violence. 

"No law can change the past or give back a life. Indeed, I wish we didn't live in a world where lives can be stolen in the first place.," Pritzker said. 

The money will fund 30 programs in the state, with 15 of those program located outside of the city of Chicago. 

The state of Illinois plans to have researchers at Northwestern University, UIC, U of C, Loyola and SIU look at communities throughout the state to decide who needs the funding. 

"Together with community leaders we will activate community based program and services outline in the Reimagine Public Safety plan," said Christopher Patterson, assistant secretary for violence prevention for the Illinois Department of Human Services.

Communities will be able to apply for funding starting next month. The state will be issuing Notices of Funding Opportunities for qualified organizations before the end of 2021 with a goal of enabling work to be well underway before summer 2022.Â