U.S. Department of Justice: Rural Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking Program Solicitation

The Rural Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking Program (Rural Program) seeks to enhance the safety of rural victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking and support projects uniquely designed to address and prevent these crimes in rural areas. The Rural Program encourages collaboration among criminal justice agencies, victim services providers, social services agencies, health professionals, and other community organizations to overcome the problems of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking and ensure that victim safety is paramount while providing services to victims. The Rural Program also recognizes the richness of diversity in rural communities and areas across the country, and encourages applicants to implement innovative approaches, through capacity-building and partnerships, to address the critical needs of victims in a manner that affirms a victim’s culture, effectively addresses language and communication barriers, and ensures accessible services for all victims.

In FY 2017, funds under the Rural Program may be used for the following purposes:

1. To identify, assess, and respond to child, youth, and adult victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking in rural communities, by encouraging collaboration among sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking victim service providers; law enforcement agencies; prosecutors; courts; other criminal justice service providers; human and community service providers; educational institutions; and health care providers, including sexual assault forensic examiners.
2. To establish and expand nonprofit, nongovernmental, state, tribal, territorial, and local government victim services in rural communities to child, youth, and adult victims.
3. To increase the safety and well-being of women and children in rural communities by: (A) dealing directly and immediately with sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking occurring in rural communities; and (B) creating and implementing strategies to increase awareness and prevent sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and/or stalking.

Applications must propose projects that implement a collaborative response, support victim services and/or create a direct response to these crimes in rural communities. Proposed projects must devote at least 70% of their project activities and budget to Rural Program purpose areas 1, 2, and/or 3(A). Applicants may apply to address purpose area 3(B), but no more than 30% of the project budget and activities may be dedicated to prevention and awareness activities.

In addition to the purpose areas, grantees must implement one or more strategies as outlined in the authorizing statute:

• Implementing, expanding, and establishing cooperative efforts and projects among law enforcement officers, prosecutors, victim service providers, and other related parties to investigate and prosecute incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including developing multidisciplinary teams focusing on high risk cases with the goal of preventing domestic and dating violence homicides.
• Providing treatment, counseling, advocacy, legal assistance, and other long-term and short-term victim and population specific services to adult and minor victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in rural communities, including assistance in immigration matters.
• Working in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies directed toward such issues.
• Developing, enlarging, or strengthening programs addressing sexual assault, including sexual assault forensic examiner programs, Sexual Assault Response Teams, law enforcement training, and programs addressing rape kit backlogs.
• Developing programs and strategies that focus on the specific needs of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who reside in remote rural and geographically isolated areas, including addressing the challenges posed by the lack of access to shelters and victims services, limited law enforcement resources and training, and providing training and resources to Community Health Aides involved in the delivery of Indian Health Service programs.

Applications proposing activities in the following priority areas will be given special consideration:

• Increase support for sexual assault, including services, law enforcement response and prosecution
• Meaningfully increase access to programming for specific underserved populations (based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, etc.)

Amount: A total of $33,000,000 is available to fund up to 50 awards that typically range from $350,000-$750,000. The award period is for three years.

Eligible: States; Indian tribes; territories; local governments; and nonprofit (public or private) entities, including tribal nonprofit organizations.

Link: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=291054

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