U.S. Department of Justice: Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking Program

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) is a component of the U.S. Department of Justice. Created in 1995, OVW implements the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and subsequent legislation and provides national leadership on issues of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. This program creates an opportunity for culturally specific community-based organizations to address the critical needs of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking victims in a manner that affirms a victim’s culture and effectively addresses language and communication barriers.

In FY 2016, funds under the Culturally Specific Services Program may be used for the following purposes:

• Increasing communities’ capacity to provide culturally specific resources and support for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking crimes and their families
• Enhancing traditional services to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking through the leadership of culturally specific programs offering services to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking
• Working in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies highlighting culturally specific issues and resources regarding victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking
• Providing culturally specific resources and services that address the safety, economic, housing, and workplace needs of victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking, including emergency assistance
• Providing culturally specific programs for children exposed to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking
• Working with state and local governments and social service agencies to develop and enhance effective strategies to provide culturally specific services to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking
• Strengthening criminal justice interventions, by providing training for law enforcement, prosecution, courts, probation, and correctional facilities on culturally specific responses to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking
• Examining the dynamics of culture and its impact on victimization and healing

Amount: Up to 20 grants ranging from $250,000-$300,000 each.

Eligibility: Applicants are limited to private nonprofit organizations for which the primary purpose of the organization as a whole is to provide culturally specific services to American Indians (including Alaska Natives, Eskimos, and Aleuts), Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, Blacks, or Hispanics.

Link: http://www.justice.gov/ovw/file/800886/download

Notes: Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a letter of registration to OVW.Cultural@usdoj.gov by February 10, 2016. This will ensure that applicants are well-positioned to successfully submit an application by the deadline. This letter will not obligate potential applicants to submit an application.

OVW will conduct Pre-Application Conference Calls for anyone interested in submitting an application for the Culturally Specific Services Program. Participation in these calls is optional.

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