U.S. Department of Justice: Enhancing Language and Other Access to Services Program

This Enhancing Language and Other Access to Services Program seeks to enhance language access services for crime victims to break down barriers that prevent many individuals from reporting crimes and accessing the services they need after crime victimization. This program will improve the accessibility of victim-centered and trauma-informed services for victims of crime who are Deaf, hard-of-hearing, limited English proficient (LEP), blind, and/or visually impaired. Funding will support the provision of direct services, the development of language access plans, and will expand the capacity of community-based organizations within linguistically specific communities to address the needs of victims of all types of crime.

All applicants must demonstrate a history of providing direct services to victims of crime in linguistically specific communities. Organizations funded through this program will:

1. Develop and implement language access plans to address the needs of crime victims, with a particular focus on victims who are blind, visually impaired, LEP, Deaf, and/or hard-of-hearing
2. Deliver direct services to victims of all types of crime within linguistically specific communities using a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach
3. Work in coordination with an existing training and technical assistance provider to identify promising practices and helpful resources that may be disseminated to service providers and allied professionals to improve responses and services to crime victims
4. Provide training to staff and community partners to implement language access plans and improve the community response to crime victims in linguistically specific communities
5. Conduct data collection and evaluation and/or action research activities to measure grant performance and generate internal improvements in the delivery of direct services over the two-year project period

Priority will be placed on organizations with a history of serving crime victims that propose to expand and increase access to services for all victims of crime within linguistically specific communities. Community-based organizations that currently receive federal funding to provide language access and linguistically specific services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking should seek to expand those services to victims of other types of crime within that community, including victims of human trafficking, robbery, burglary, assault, elder abuse, DUI/DWI crashes, hate crimes; and family members of homicide victims.

Amount: Approximately $2,000,000 is available to make up to 10 awards of up to $200,000 each. The period of performance is 24 months.

Eligibility: Public agencies; federally recognized Indian tribal governments; nonprofit organizations (including tribal nonprofit organizations); faith- and community-based organizations; and colleges or universities (including tribal institutions of higher education).

Link: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=315323

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