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Total Human Trafficking and Crime Victim Direct Services Funds Cut: $50,326,607.00
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CATEGORYYEAR LEGAL NAMECITY STATEAWARD NUMBERPROGRAMAWARD AMOUNT PROJECT DESCRIPTION
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsField-Generated Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance for Law Enforcement2021VERA INSTITUTE OF JUSTICEBROOKLYNNY15POVC-21-GK-03261-HTOVC$500,000.00The U.S. Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report from 2012 states that “[P]ersons with disabilities remain one of the groups most at risk of being trafficked,” which the limited research on human trafficking of people with disabilities confirms. Victims with disabilities experience both sex and labor trafficking, with many cases including an element that is unique to people with disabilities: traffickers stealing their government benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance. Victims with disabilities experience unique risk factors to human trafficking and barriers to accessing safety and justice, including that law enforcement officers lack knowledge on working with victims of trafficking with disabilities, making it more difficult for them to identify human trafficking when perpetrated against people with disabilities, build trust with victims with disabilities, and investigating cases involving victims with disabilities. The Vera Institute of Justice (Vera), in partnership with the International Organization for Adolescents (IOFA),will design a comprehensive, self-paced online training and resources to build law enforcement’s knowledge, skill, and comfort working with human trafficking victims with disabilities. The online training program will include a number of courses and topics to be determined by a curriculum development team. The courses will include a combination of short videos, written content, and interactive exercises, in line with adult learning principles. In addition, Vera and IOFA will invite a select group of law enforcement officers with baseline knowledge about human trafficking to participate in two learning cohorts, whom will receive technical assistance to help the officers apply what they have learned from the courses.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsField-Generated Solicitation: Increasing Options and Expanding Access for Victims of Crime2024MEI FONG AND ASSOCIATESSAN FRANCISCOCA15POVC-24-GK-02972-NONFOVC$500,000.00Asian Women’s Shelter (AWS) is proposing Project AMALNA, meaning “Our Peace” in Arabic, and standing for Arabs Magnifying Access by Leveraging Nontraditional Alliances. Project AMALNA will engage nontraditional entities to help connect Arab and Muslim victims of crime inside and beyond San Francisco to the systems and organizations that can support them. Arab and Muslim victims of crime, including those who are immigrants, refugees, limited-English proficient, straight, or part of the LGBTQ+ community are chronically underserved in the San Francisco Bay Area and in the State of California. AWS will work with the Muslim Community Center (MCC) of the East Bay (a mosque and community center), Faiza Beauty and Nefertiti Salon to connect Arab victims of crime to government and nonprofit sources of support. The proposed scope of work centers around four primary sets of activities: 1) engagement of nontraditional partners into information learning, sharing, and referral making; 2) provision of requested support and services to Arab survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, and human trafficking; 3) provision of materials and trainings to Arab community members (through nontraditional partners and stakeholders) on processes and resources available to victims of crime in San Francisco and Alameda counties; and 4) activation of Language Advocates in Asian Women’s Shelter’s Multilingual Access Model (MLAM) Program to engage new nontraditional community stakeholders in any of the over 40 language communities represented in the MLAM Program. Expected outcomes include increased awareness and education within Arab and Muslim communities about how to access services for victims of crime, and increased access for Arab and Muslim victims of gender based violence and other forms of violence to services that meet their specific cultural and linguistic needs for healing and justice.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsServices for Victims of Human Trafficking2023U.S. COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS, INC.ARLINGTONVA15POVC-23-GG-04097-HTOVC$800,000.00U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USRI) will implement the Surviving Trauma and Reaching Success (STARS) program which will serve foreign-national victims of human trafficking in the greater Detroit Metropolitan area and nearby regions. The purpose is to offer victims an escape from sex and labor trafficking through culturally responsive and trauma-informed case management and legal immigration services, providing the means of acquiring safety, legal status and a more self-directed, fulfilling life. Project activities include outreach to trafficking victims through liaising with community-based organizations, sexual assault crisis centers, migrant health centers, refugee organizations, and trafficking task forces that include law enforcement, mental health experts and trafficking service providers. Venues for reaching labor trafficking victims include agricultural settings, restaurants, factories, and domestic work settings. The STARS Case Manager will help victims access safe shelter, housing, food, clothing, transportation, personal care items and childcare as needed from community resources and facilitate victim-directed safety plans and Individualized Service Plans. USCRI’s Legal Services Program will offer attorney services including T Visas (for victims of human trafficking), and U Visas (for victims of crime). Other potential remedies include Temporary Protected Status, Self-Petitions for Battered Spouses and Children (VAWA), Protection Orders, Naturalization, Asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Adjustment of Status, and Work Authorization. Expected outcomes over a three-year period include case management services to 90 foreign-national trafficking victims; legal consultation and representation for 120 victims; and community outreach to trafficking service providers, law enforcement, and task forces. Intended beneficiaries of the STARS project are foreign-national victims of human sex and labor trafficking in Detroit and surrounding areas.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsServices for Victims of Human Trafficking2024U.S. COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS, INC.ARLINGTONVA15POVC-24-GG-01775-DTVFOVC$800,000.00Through this award, U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) will implement the Surviving Trauma and Reaching Success (STARS) program, which will serve foreign-national victims of human trafficking in the Austin, TX area and nearby regions. The purpose of the program is to offer provide culturally responsive and trauma-informed case management and legal immigration services to victims of trafficking. Project activities will include outreach to trafficking victims through liaising with community-based organizations, sexual assault crisis centers, migrant health centers, refugee organizations, and trafficking task forces that include law enforcement, mental health experts and trafficking service providers. USCRI’s Legal Services Program will offer attorney services including T visas, U visas, Temporary Protected Status Self-Petitions for Battered Spouses and Children (VAWA), Protection Orders, Naturalization, Asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, and Work Authorization, as well as legal services for ancillary issues arriving from trafficking such as expungement and child custody. Additionally, STARS case managers will help victims access safe shelter, housing, food, clothing, transportation, personal care items and childcare as needed from community resources and facilitate victim-directed safety plans and individualized service plans.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsField-Generated Solicitation: Increasing Options and Expanding Access for Victims of Crime2022NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR VICTIM ASSISTANCE, INC.ALEXANDRIAVA15POVC-22-GK-03572-NONFOVC$870,000.00The Victim Rights’ Movement has successfully championed significant changes in crime victims’ rights; victim compensation; victims’ services; and survivor-centered legislation and funding to support crime victims and survivors over the past 50 years. Despite these accomplishments, many survivors from historically marginalized communities are not reached, supported, or represented by existing victim service programs or within the criminal justice system. Such gaps in accessibility, inclusion and equity within the victim services field have been exposed and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as historically marginalized survivors are speaking out about barriers to help, safety and justice, often due to the impact of multiple forms of discrimination.The National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA)—in collaboration with its research partner, Rainbow Research---proposes standing up the Youth Advocate Leadership Corps to elevate the voices of these survivors and build a new future for the movement. As the country continues to face the most significant global crisis in a generation, the call for national service and advocacy for all crime survivors is urgent and imperative. The Youth Advocate Leadership Corps will develop a new generation of young leaders who both reflect the diversity of crime survivors and who are passionate and committed to meeting the needs of this moment and being the voices for change. Designed to meet OJP Priority Area A, the Leadership Corps will be launched as a pilot program and will involve recruiting 15 college students representing intersecting marginalized communities, including racially marginalized, indigenous, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and immigrant communities, from five geographically diverse communities to participate in a paid victim advocate fellowship program. These promising leaders will receive trauma-informed training, mentorship, professional credentialing, and technical support to prepare them to serve in community agencies responding to all forms of crime victimization, including homicide, mass violence, hate crimes, sexual/domestic violence, elder and child abuse, trafficking, and missing and murdered indigenous/Black women. Primary activities of the project include: 1) Assess needs within the victim services field to define the vision and framework for the Youth Advocate Leadership Corps; 2) Develop, launch and evaluate a pilot program shaped by the voices of historically marginalized survivors; and 3) Establish a national model for engaging diverse youth leaders in the victim services field. Beneficiaries of the program will include historically marginalized survivors and under-resourced community agencies in each of the five pilot communities, as well as the larger victim services movement.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsAdvancing the Use of Technology to Assist Victims of Crime2021VERA INSTITUTE OF JUSTICEBROOKLYNNY15POVC-21-GK-01096-NONFOVC$1,000,000.00The Problem: While research has shown that Deaf children and adults experience harm at rates higher than their hearing counterparts, due to a variety of cultural and communication barriers, they are less likely to receive services and other support that increases survivors’ safety, healing and justice. One of the most significant and enduring barriers Deaf survivors face when reaching out for help is a lack of qualified sign language interpretation. Highly qualified trauma-informed American Sign Language interpreters are critical for Deaf survivors to effectively access advocacy services, shelter-based services, support groups, and medical and legal services. Inexperienced or improperly assigned interpreters can cause significant barriers and harm. Yet, there is a dearth of qualified sign language interpreters in victim services for a number of reasons. In some areas of the country, there simply aren’t any sign language interpreters available, or if there are, interpreters aren’t qualified. Some victim service providers simply don’t have the resources to pay for interpreters, or, if they do, they do not know how to find and secure qualified interpreters.
The Solution: The Vera Institute of Justice (Vera) is requesting $1 million to increase access to victim services to Deaf victims by providing free sign language interpretation services through virtual technology. Through this project, Vera will address this critical and enduring gap in access to victim services for Deaf victims of crime through the use of technology. Interpretation services will be provided remotely using safe and secure technology by specially-trained, trauma-informed interpreters, allowing victim service providers to interact directly and effectively with Deaf survivors in their community and to provide Deaf survivors with both short and long-term assistance. Vera will provide remote interpretation services Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time (6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific time) and weekends, as requested. Non-profit victim service providers in the United States will be eligible to receive sign language interpretation services through this project. The project will prioritize organizations in rural and remote communities; those in communities with no sign language interpreters or interpreters qualified to work in victim services; and those who lack financial resources to pay for interpretation. In addition to providing qualified, trauma-informed virtual interpreting services, Vera will work to increase the capacity of victim service providers to effectively secure and work with sign language interpreters.


This project addresses three United States Department of Justice priority areas: 1.) the promotion of civil rights; 2.) access to justice, and 3.) support to crime victims.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsAdvancing the Use of Technology to Assist Victims of Crime2022PAVE PROMOTING AWARENESS VICTIM EMPOWERMENTCHICAGOIL15POVC-22-GK-03321-NONFOVC$749,256.00After becoming a victim of a gender-based crime, it is often unclear what the next steps are. Victims of gender-based violence often do not know what resources are available to them. Finding care after experiencing a crime is an arduous task that many victims find too difficult to pursue. Victims from historically underserved groups have even more difficulty, as many existing resources do not account for the issues faced by victims of marginalized identities. Promoting Awareness | Victim Empowerment (PAVE) is applying for the OVC FY 2022 grant, “Advancing the Use of Technology to Assist Victims of Crime '' under priority A, to expand their pre-existing website, Survivors.org. Launched in 2020, this website currently has over 1,400 verified resources nationwide which include therapists, trauma-informed yoga practitioners, rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, LGBTQ+ centers, and legal assistance. The expansion of Survivors.org would transform this website from a search engine into a resource hub that brings support, education, and community to victims of gender-based violence, their loved ones, and professionals in this field. The activities that this expansion would entail include creating professional development and educational courses, discussion forums for victims of different marginalized identities, task forces for marginalized victims, virtual monthly support groups, a website wizard to provide personally-specific resources, and an intake process for victims to meet with a Survivors.org representative for personalized help. Survivors.org is a nationwide resource, which refers victims to in-person resources in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. The addition of more free, virtually-hosted events through this expansion, such as conferences or support groups, will allow victims to have access to resources regardless of financial status or geographic location. The focus of this expansion on marginalized groups is expected to connect more victims of marginalized identities with identity-specific resources. In summation, this expansion of Survivors.org is expected to greatly increase the accessibility of a variety of resources to victims of gender-based crimes, regardless of financial status, geographic location, or identity.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsLegal Services and Victims’ Rights Enforcement for Underserved Communities2022EQUAL JUSTICE WORKSWASHINGTONDC15POVC-22-GK-01116-NONFOVC$5,000,000.00Equal Justice Works is the nation’s largest facilitator of legal Fellowships through which lawyers address critical legal needs in partnership with legal services organizations, transforming their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service. With support from Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), Equal Justice Works will launch the Crime Victims Advocacy Program, a two-year legal Fellowship. In this program, a national cohort of 21 attorney Fellows, employed and supervised by competitively selected legal services organizations across the country, will expand the capacity of participating agencies to provide civil legal assistance to victims of crime in underserved, Black, Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC) communities and to enforce their rights as crime victims. In addition, the program will mobilize 21 summer law student Fellows who will support the work of attorney Fellows and be trained to join the pipeline of victims’ rights attorneys. Participating legal services organizations will be selected from across the country, with priority given to applicants that demonstrate that they are culturally specific organizations, located in and/or working with underserved, BIPOC communities, and proposing Fellowship projects focused on serving BIPOC crime victims in a culturally responsive manner. The program leverages Equal Justice Works’ decades of expertise in creating and implementing results-driven attorney and law student Fellowship programs to respond to unmet legal needs of crime victims, especially those in BIPOC communities.
The Crime Victims Advocacy Program will be implemented in collaboration with the training and technical assistance (TTA) provider, the National Crime Victim Law Institute (NCVLI). As the national expert on victim law and legal training, NCVLI will provide intensive and multi-faceted TTA to the Fellows throughout the program to develop their knowledge and skills on relevant legal issues and best practices and to create opportunities for peer learning.
During the Fellowship, through a combination of brief advice and full representation, the Fellows will represent crime victims to enforce their rights and pursue available legal remedies in collateral civil legal matters relating to their victimization. In addition, the Fellows will engage in outreach, community education, and partnership-building activities. By increasing access to legal assistance in underserved, BIPOC communities across the United States, the Crime Victims Advocacy Program will contribute to OVC’s vision for a broad and coordinated community network of wraparound pro bono legal services for victims of crime.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsBuilding Capacity of National Crisis Hotlines2022NATIONAL NETWORK TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, INC.WASHINGTONDC15POVC-22-GK-01804-NONFOVC$2,000,000.00PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT: The Reimagining Enhanced Access and Capacity of the Hotline (REACH) Project, proposed by the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) and implemented in partnership with Esperanza United (EU), responds to the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) Fiscal Year 2022 Building Capacity of National Crisis Hotlines solicitation. The REACH Project will enhance and expand the capacity of the WomensLaw Email Hotline, a national victim services hotline, to provide legal crisis intervention support using trauma-informed approaches that protect the safety and confidentiality of victims. Through a proposed partnership with EU, a culturally specific agency dedicated to ending gender-based violence against Latino/a/e (“Latin@”) communities, NNEDV will increase awareness of and enhance access to its Spanish Email Hotline services, with an emphasis on reaching monolingual and/or immigrant Spanish-speakers.
PRIMARY ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: The REACH Project will complete the following: 1) conduct strategic planning; 2) expand staffing of the WomensLaw Email Hotline; 3) enhance training for hotline personnel; 4) engage in public awareness campaigns and outreach efforts aimed at promoting its hotline services; 5) develop culturally and linguistically appropriate materials and resources for victim service providers (VSPs) and criminal justice stakeholders; 6) provide trainings for VSPs and criminal justice stakeholders; 7) maintain participation in the National Hotline Consortium; and 8) implement quality assurance and improvement initiatives. The REACH Project includes three key expected outcomes: 1) increased knowledge and support will be available to Email Hotline personnel and volunteers; 2) increased access to legal information, referrals, and support for victims of crime, VSPs, and criminal justice stakeholders through WomensLaw.org and the Email Hotline; and 3) increased awareness of REACH Project services through outreach and public awareness activities.
SERVICE AREA: The REACH Project is nationwide in scope. The service area will be all U.S. states and four U.S. territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia).
INTENDED BENEFCIARIES AND SUBRECIPIENTS: Beneficiaries of the REACH Project include victims of crime (domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking), as well as VSPs and criminal justice stakeholders. The REACH Project focuses on the following underserved communities: domestic and family violence victims, sexual assault victims, and Latin@ communities.
PRIORITY CONSIDERATION: NNEDV is requesting priority consideration under Priority Area 1(B).
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsBuilding Capacity of National Crisis Hotlines2023NATIONAL CENTER FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME, INC.LANDOVERMD15POVC-23-GK-01581-NONFOVC$2,000,000.00The use of technology-facilitated victim services is increasing across the US. Crisis hotlines nationally are experiencing increasing wait times, Highlighting the need for a targeted infusion of support to strengthen the foundation of crisis hotlines. The National Center for Victims of Crime founded the VictimConnect Hotline in 2015. Through calls, texts, and chats, VictimConnect provides its services to all victims of any crime type, regardless of where they are at in their healing. This is provided through emotional support, information, resources, and referrals to crime victims and survivors. VictimConnect employs well-trained Victim Assistance Specialists and volunteers that empower victims and survivors. Based on a caller’s needs, the hotline staff provide resources and referrals to shelter, housing, counseling, culturally and linguistically appropriate programs, legal services, and other specialized services. Due to increased call, text, and chat volumes, NCVC has identified a need for increasing hotline capacity and accessibility to better support crime victims and survivors nationwide. Through financial support of OVC, NCVC will build upon its current VictimConnect Hotline by expanding hours of availability and access to services. NCVC will accomplish the following goals:
Goal One: Expand the capacity and infrastructure of the VictimConnect Hotline to provide crisis intervention support using trauma-informed, culturally, and linguistically appropriate, survivor-centered approaches that protect the safety and confidentiality of victims and survivors. To do so, NCVC will focus on expanding to a 24/7 response, maintaining minimal wait times, reducing staff burnout, increasing staff to handle increased call volume, and enhancing accessibility to support expanded chat and text capabilities that are culturally and linguistically appropriate.
Goal Two: To increase capacity to serve the needs of victims and survivors through engaged and collaborative information sharing. As the lead facilitator of the National Hotline Consortium since 2015, NCVC will continue to lead the efforts of the Consortium in identifying opportunities for expansion. Additionally, NCVC will engage in a collaborative needs assessment of victims experiencing cyber- and technology- crimes by facilitating in-person and virtual listening sessions. These collaborative efforts will inform annual public-facing reports that will be produced annually.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsEmergency and Transitional Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance Grant Program2022RUBY'S PLACECASTRO VALLEYCA15POVC-22-GG-01780-NONFOVC$100,000.00See attached Project Description
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsEmergency and Transitional Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance Grant Program2022SAFE FUTURES, INC.NEW LONDONCT15POVC-22-GG-01800-NONFOVC$100,000.00Proposed Project/Purpose
Safe Futures, Inc., recognized nationally as being the first domestic violence service provider in Connecticut to accept domestic violence victims with pets in their emergency domestic violence shelter, and now in all of their seven housing program, is requesting a Mini Award of $100,000 to support Protect Our Pets (POP), with a focus on Priority Area A, to better serve victims with pets in southeastern Connecticut with housing assistance and other support and services and with training of staff and stakeholders Safe Futures collaborates and partners with in delivering services to victims. All services will be free and confidential; trauma-informed; provided with equality, equity, liberation, and inclusion; survivor-centered, and delivered by certified domestic violence counselors. Goals
Barriers for victims of domestic violence with pets in leaving a domestic violence situation are removed.
Providers are better informed on the needs of domestic violence victims with pets.
Objectives
Victims with pets have options for emergency, transitional, and housing assistance.
Victims with pets have options of staying in an emergency or transitional shelter; a pet-friendly hotel; or temporary housing their pet in the community through boarding or fostering. Victims with pets are supported in finding pet-friendly housing.
Victims with pets have an increase of services available related to their pets
All pets residing in Safe Futures housing programs receive a Vet Check Visit upon entry. Victims with pets are provided with individualized support services for their pet.
Increase training of domestic violence service provider staff and relevant partners on the needs of victims with pets. Safe Futures staff are provided with training on the importance of and best practices of having sheltering and housing options and other support services for victims with pets. Relevant partners are provided with training on the link between domestic violence and the abuse and neglect of victim’s pets. The above will be achieved with a designated Pet Advocate (5 hrs./week) to work directly with victims with pets and a designated Pet Advocacy Educator (5 hrs./week) to develop and implement Safe Futures Pet Policy Manual, to include a Pet Intake Form and Victim’s with Pet’s Responsibilities, and training of staff and relevant stakeholders, such as Law Enforcement, Coordinated Access Network and area homeless providers. Service Area
Southeastern Connecticut, specifically all 21 towns of New London County. Beneficiaries
There are three beneficiaries of POP– 1) victims, and their families; 2) their pets; and 3) relevant stakeholders.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsEmergency and Transitional Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance Grant Program2023MARYLAND NETWORK AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCANNAPOLISMD15POVC-23-GG-01227-NONFOVC$400,000.00The Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence (MNADV) will work with the sub-grantees as a pass-through entity to provide funding to address gaps in emergency shelter, housing, and other services for victims/survivors and their companion animals. The three comprehensive DVSPs participating in this program (The Bridge in Cecil County, CASA in Washington County, and SARC in Harford County – all rural areas) identified the gaps they face when serving survivors with pets. This funding would allow them to address these gaps in emergency and other housing services by examining the possibilities of building modifications, cost of on-site or hotel sheltering and boarding of pets, relocation expenses, supplies, support services, pet deposits and pet rent, and veterinary bills. Increasing bed nights available in emergency shelter and easing the process to transitionary housing are the objectives of these activities. To improve knowledge of the importance of providing shelter for pets of intimate partner violence survivors throughout Maryland, the MNADV and outside subject matter experts would provide training on the importance of understanding the relationship between victims/survivors and companion animals to advocates and allied professionals as well as to veterinarians and other experts in companion animal care. Furthermore, MNADV will also create a campaign to improve understanding of the relationship between companion animals, domestic violence, and the ability to safely leave an abusive partner with the objective of providing information to victims/survivors with pets who might not know that they have a place to turn.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsEmergency and Transitional Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance Grant Program2023NOAHS ANIMAL HOUSE FOUNDATIONRENONV15POVC-23-GG-01241-MUMUOVC$687,141.00The Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act of 2017 provided federal level protections and funding for services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence from emotional and psychological trauma caused by acts of violence or threats of violence against their pets. The barriers to services for pet owning victims have been resolved legally but not yet programmatically. The models of pet inclusion for victims escaping dangerous homes range from foster placements in private homes to onsite boarding facilities co-located with the victim shelters.
Outreach to pet owning victims needing services, meeting the health needs of pets, and maintaining the confidentiality of people and their pets are some of the ongoing challenges of agencies seeking to serve victims with pets. To assist federally funded grantees in a successful pet included program, Noah’s Animal House Foundation will provide program specific training and technical support for PAWS grantees. This will be accomplished through several components. These include a self-paced virtual training for staff members of grantee agencies through a learning platform; hosting separate monthly virtual meetings with cohorts in year 1, 2, or 3 of their grant; and hosting quarterly virtual meetings with all cohorts. Annually, grantees will convene for a one-day meeting to share promising practices, receive collaborative peer support for the model they launched, and participate in celebrating successes and challenges.


To meet the needs of current and future grantees, Noah’s Animal House Foundation proposes the project under Purpose Area 1. The fifteen years of delivering stellar pet services in a facility co-located with the largest women and children’s shelter in the state of Nevada prepares NAH staff to assist OVC grantees in meeting their goal to safely welcome and serve victims with pets.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsEnhancing Access to Victim Services2022ACTIVATING CHANGE, INC.BROOKLYNNY15POVC-22-GK-04386-NONFOVC$1,000,000.00Activating Change (formerly, the Center on Victimization and Safety at the Vera Institute of Justice) in partnership with the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender Based Violence (API-GBV) is requesting $1,000,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime to serve as the technical assistance provider for the Enhancing Access Grant Program. The purpose of the project is to build the capacity of OVC grantees and the broader field to effectively work with victims with disabilities, Deaf/HOH victims, and LEP victims. Primary activities for this project are a New Grantee Orientation, tailored technical assistance to Grantees, development and implementation of disability access plans, development and implementation of language access plans, cross-site learning exchanges, promotion of promising practices and innovations for victims with disabilities and Deaf victims, develop law enforcement language access training instructors guide, create Spoken Language Interpreter database, create Tip Sheet on Trauma-Informed Interpreting, promotion of the Community Centered Translation Toolkit, development and implementation of marketing plan for the Supporting Crime Victims with Disabilities Toolkit, host an introductory webinar about the toolkit, convene online courses focused on the toolkit, and present at conferences about the toolkit and best practices. Expected outcomes are improved services for victims with disabilities, Deaf/HOH victims and LEP victims, improved accessibility of services and increased language access. The service area is national in scope. The partner and subrecipient is the Asian-Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence (API-GBV). API-GBV is a culturally-specific organization and will be receiving 33% of the project budget. As such, we are requesting priority consideration for this application.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsEnhancing Access to Victim Services2022CASALUZMEMPHISTN15POVC-22-GK-04365-NONFOVC$399,984.00CasaLuz seeks support for the Culturally Specific Access to Victims Services project to continue addressing the need for culturally/linguistically specific victim advocacy and support services to limited English proficient (LEP) Hispanic/Latinx immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and related crimes in the Memphis, TN area. This work will advance racial equity and increase accessibility to advocacy, support services, and mental health counseling to a vulnerable, underserved population. The project includes support for CasaLuz’s ongoing work with local law enforcement, the judicial system, other agencies on institutional acknowledgement and recognition of challenges in cultural/linguistic sensitivity and responding to Hispanic/Latinx victims.
Primary project activities: victim-centered and trauma-informed services provided by a bilingual/bicultural advocate and a counselor through reflective listening, legal advocacy (including understanding legal rights and access to Criminal Injury Compensation), case management, safety planning, lethality assessments, crisis intervention, counseling, and support groups. There is no other program in the area providing culturally specific services to LEP Hispanic/Latinx immigrant victims.


In the past two years under an OVC Enhancing Language and Other Access to Services grant, CasaLuz has strengthened partnerships with local law enforcement to develop strategies in responding to Hispanic/Latinx victims with a culturally sensitive approach, improve victims’ accessibility and awareness of rights, and address gaps of mistrust in the community. This includes collaborating on community education efforts and providing trainings on Title VI, cultural sensitivity and assisting LEP Hispanic/Latinx immigrant victims. This new OVC opportunity would allow CasaLuz to enhance ongoing partnerships and continue the momentum of this important work.


Project goals include providing underserved LEP Hispanic/Latinx immigrant crime victims with trauma-informed and culturally/linguistically specific direct services, mental health services and victim advocacy; developing and enhancing strategies to provide culturally specific services and improve accessibility for crime victims; and determining best practices and lessons learned to improve accessibility. Expected outcomes include providing advocacy to a minimum of 120 new clients and mental health services to a minimum of 40; creating an accessibility plan; and conducting a minimum of six trainings for law enforcement and other agencies.


CasaLuz will utilize an outcomes-based program evaluation to measure project general progress and progress toward goals. Evaluation methods include a baseline intake, a pre-test and post-test that illustrate new information clients received through the program, an exit/satisfaction survey, in-person and telephone follow-up interviews, and a data dashboard.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsExpanding Access to Sexual Assault Forensic Examinations2022INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FORENSIC NURSES, INCORPORATEDELKRIDGEMD15POVC-22-GK-03590-SAFEOVC$3,999,833.00Medical-forensic examinations are a critical part of any multidisciplinary response to sexual violence. Studies have shown that exams performed by SANEs may result in better health outcomes and in turn lead to higher prosecution rates. However, most communities do not have SANEs available and there are limited resources available to support communities striving to develop SANE programs. IAFN proposes to provide comprehensive training and technical assistance (T/TA) to OVC’s Purpose Area 1 grantees to ensure they have the information, guidance and support they need to develop, expand and sustain their SANE programs. IAFN and its partners will offer a full range of culturally-specific assistance, working closely with all grantees to ensure their programs develop, foster, and maintain patient-centered, trauma-informed, and evidence-based SANE programs. As the author of the Forensic Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice and the SANE Education Guidelines, IAFN and its Board-certified forensic nursing staff is uniquely poised to offer this T/TA. The goal for this project is to utilize the expertise and experience of IAFN, its project partners and OVC to provide proactive, action-driven, flexible, victim-centered, trauma-informed T/TA to the selected SANE programs throughout the US and its territories. The primary activities, products and deliverables include: Identification of site-specific needs and an associated T/TA recommendation plans; Develop and deliver a full day workshop annually prior to the IAFN international conference of forensic nursing science and practice tailored to issues of program expansion and sustainability; Provide access to IAFNs online adult or pediatric SANE training for up to 28 clinicians; Provide review of any grantee SANE didactic training program to ensure it adheres to the IAFN SANE Education Guidelines; Provide two, two-day clinical skills laboratories annually for didactically prepared SANEs; Provide one SANE-A and SANE-P Board Certification Review Course annually; Develop gamified simulation training to improve critical thinking skills in developing a trauma-informed response to survivors regardless of age, stage of development, gender or special circumstances; Provide access to IAFNs online intimate partner violence nurse examiner (IPVNE) training for programs expanding to IPV for up to 28 clinicians; Provide access to monthly ECHO case review and bi-monthly webinars for SANEs and the multidisciplinary teams they work with; Create closed online communities where cross-communication, learning and networking can occur between programs, partners and the IAFN team; and house new resources on the existing IAFN safeta.org website; and assist sites in creating sustainability plans.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsField-Generated Solicitation: Increasing Options and Expanding Access for Victims of Crime2022ASSOCIATION OF PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS, INCWASHINGTONDC15POVC-22-GK-03567-NONFOVC$750,000.00Research demonstrates that the needs and experiences of survivors of gender-based violence, and particularly women of color, go largely unaddressed by the traditional criminal justice system approach to victim services. Through this project, the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (APA) will target these service gaps and advance race equity through the implementation and evaluation of survivor-defendant diversion programs. These programs divert cases of defendants who are identified as prior gender-based violence survivors from the traditional prosecution track, and instead provide services and opportunities tailored to the experiences of women of color. APA will partner with professional organizations and researchers to ensure the efficacy and relevance of project activities. APA and Bowie State University (BSU) will collaborate to create and disseminate an initial fieldwide survey of existing survivor-defendant programs that will identify service/training gaps and preferential practices and policies. At the inception of this project, APA will appoint an Advisory Group comprised of key criminal justice and victim services stakeholders. This group will develop a robust Request for Proposals (RFPs) process to identify prosecutor offices for implementation of survivor-defendant diversion pilot programs and review the submitted applications. Upon site selection, the group will guide pilot site selection and project development.
APA and its partners will work with the selected sites to plan, implement, and evaluate survivor-defendant diversion programs. APA will collaborate often with the pilot sites through online check-ins and in person site visits to draft program policies, curate relationships with one or multiple service providers, and incorporate the perspective of individuals with lived experience into program development. APA’s partnership with the YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish and their SurvivorsFIRST program will provide model policies and practices for selected sites to draw from as they establish a survivor-defendant diversion program specific to their jurisdictional needs. After one year of implementation, APA and BSU will conduct an evaluation of the pilot programs to ensure program efficacy and identify areas for improvement. By examining the results with site leaders, a plan for both performance improvement and program sustainability will ensure programmatic success long after the grant period. Through this project, gender-based violence survivors in jurisdictions across the country will be diverted from the criminal justice system to receive services to address the needs associated with their victimization. This project will allow prosecutor offices and victim services to simultaneously advance race equity, reduce recidivism for survivors, and improve safety in their communities.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsField-Generated Solicitation: Increasing Options and Expanding Access for Victims of Crime2023ACTIVATING CHANGE, INC.BROOKLYNNY15POVC-23-GK-02768-NONFOVC$500,000.00Activating Change proposes to implement the Increasing Services for Victims of Crimes Committed by Personal Care Attendants project as part of OVC’s FY 2023 Field-Generated Solicitation: Increasing Options and Expanding Access for Victims of Crime (O-OVC-2023-171714). The purpose is to increase options and access to services for victims of crimes committed by paid personal care attendants throughout the service area of United States. Project activities include: conducting a field scan to better understand the current response, gaps in services, and opportunities related to serving victims of crime committed by paid personal care attendants; assembling a Steering Committee to inform and guide the project, including people with disabilities who have lived experience; creating working groups with relevant professional and lived experience to focus on key elements of the project; developing, piloting, and finalizing an online response protocols and practices guide; marketing and distributing the online response protocols and practices guide; providing technical assistance; and creating a final evaluation report. The resources created by this project will include an online practice guide, response protocols, and supplemental resources for victim service providers on how to respond to people with disabilities who experienced crimes committed by paid personal car attendants, as well as a final process evaluation report on whether the project achieved its goals. Expected outcomes include victim service providers having clear guidance and increased capacity on how best to serve and support people with disabilities who have experience crimes committed by personal are attendants, and people with disabilities having increased options and access to victim services. People with disabilities, including people of color with disabilities, are the intended beneficiaries of the project.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsField-Generated Solicitation: Increasing Options and Expanding Access for Victims of Crime2023NATIONAL CRIME VICTIM LAW INSTITUTEPORTLANDOR15POVC-23-GK-02770-NONFOVC$500,000.00The National Crime Victim Law Institute (NCVLI), together with its programmatic partner Disability Rights Oregon (DRO) and evaluation partner RTI International (RTI), proposes this Enhancing Legal Services for Persons with Disabilities Victimized by Crime Project (Project) to increase the number of attorneys ready to provide competent rights assertion and enforcement legal advocacy to persons with disabilities victimized by crime. By creating an online, interactive Disability & Victims’ Rights Attorney Toolkit, complimented by intensive, in-person, skill-based training and ongoing technical assistance, this Project will respond to a significant gap in the field – the lack of trauma-informed attorneys who are ready to serve persons with disabilities victimized by crime who seek to assert and secure enforcement of their rights. This Project is critical because persons with disabilities victimized by crime face tremendous and unique barriers to accessing justice. For these barriers to be dismantled, there must be a concerted effort to achieve equitable treatment and access to justice for persons with disabilities victimized by crime. A key piece of this effort is availability of lawyers with understanding of disabilities, trauma, victims’ rights and disability law. NCVLI and DRO have unique and complimentary expertise necessary to collaboratively construct the building blocks of change and RTI has the expertise to evaluate the intervention. NCVLI will serve as the lead on the Project, subgranting 40% of Project funds to DRO which will leverage its culturally specific expertise to partner on all deliverables. NCVLI will also subgrant to RTI for evaluation.
Ultimately the Project vision is an expanded body of attorneys competent to help persons with disabilities who have been victimized to assert and seek enforcement of their rights in criminal trial and appellate courts. This Project, piloted in Oregon but readily scalable to other jurisdictions, has five objectives: (1) convene a steering committee to ensure lived experience guides the work; (2) enhance attorney knowledge of victims’ rights enforcement for persons with disabilities through an interactive, online Disability & Victims’ Rights Toolkit; (3) grow the rights enforcement skills of lawyers representing persons with disabilities who have been victimized by crime by creating and deploying intensive, in-person skill-based trainings; (4) pair trained attorneys who are willing to serve as pro or low bono counsel with persons with disabilities and provide ongoing legal technical assistance; and (5) draft an evaluation report with assessment of the implementation and effectiveness of objectives 1-4 to aid scalability.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsField-Generated Solicitation: Increasing Options and Expanding Access for Victims of Crime2023NETWORK FOR VICTIM RECOVERY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIAWASHINGTONDC15POVC-23-GK-02771-NONFOVC$500,000.00The Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), in partnership with New York University's Center on Violence and Recovery (CVR) proposes the Reimagining Expanded Choices Offering Victim Empowerment and Restoration (RECOVER) Project. The goal is to enhance community-led collaboration to increase restorative justice (RJ) options for victims in DC that result in improved victim healing, community restoration, and multiple access points for overall supportive services.
RECOVER will conduct a community needs assessment; complete landscape review of current RJ services; partner with CVR who will provide evaluation support; appoint a steering committee—which includes persons with lived experience in the victimization or communities addressed by the project—to review and provide input on all program materials to be developed; create a replication toolkit; and submit a final report.


RECOVER seeks to promote racial equity and remove barriers to access specifically for Black survivors in the District, among which there is a significant appetitive for alternative options, including RJ. Providing survivor-defined options are important because marginalized communities encounter greater barriers to accessing traditional systems and because the systems are not generating equitable healing or meaningful restoration.


An additional 7 partners will serve on the Steering Committee and/or serve as RJ Facilitators, including DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence, DC Peace Team, DC Justice Lab, Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project, Free Minds, Georgia Avenue Family Support, and the Office of the Attorney General for DC.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsField-Generated Solicitation: Increasing Options and Expanding Access for Victims of Crime2023OKLAHOMA CITY FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER, INCOKLAHOMA CITYOK15POVC-23-GK-02774-NONFOVC$500,000.00Through this OVC Project, OKCFJC will work closely with its research partner to identify challenges and gaps in its services, and work to implement and evaluate new assessment tools. This Project extends and expands services for victims, incorporating the science of hope and considering a client’s entire victim history and journey to well-being. Our Case Managers are able to work with clients facing longer-term challenges and goals. This Project will continue the utilization of the polyvictimization tool that was created as part of the OVC demonstration project to understand their full history as it relates to victimization. Our Case Managers also measure clients’ “hope score,” an evidence-based tool that measures their belief that tomorrow can be better today and that they have the power to make it so through goal-setting, creating pathways, and agency. Finally, Case Managers use motivational interviewing skills to talk with clients about all aspects of their well-being and then provide individualized resources to meet their specific needs. We will utilize our formal and informal partnerships to offer robust wraparound services that address the 8 dimensions of wellness: emotional, physical, social, occupational, financial, environmental, spiritual, and intellectual.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsField-Generated Solicitation: Increasing Options and Expanding Access for Victims of Crime2023CENTRAL IOWA TRAUMA & RECOVERY CENTERDES MOINESIA15POVC-23-GK-02776-NONFOVC$500,000.00The Central Iowa Trauma Recovery Center (CITRC), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization located in Des Moines, Iowa requests three-year funding in the amount of $500,000 under OVCs area of interest “service interventions that address victims of crime who are often overlooked when it comes to specialized services...”. The application proposes to expand the University of California-San Francisco Trauma Recovery Center (UCSF TRC): A Model for Removing Barriers to Care and Transforming Services for Survivors of Violent Crime to provide mental health, medication management, and clinical care coordination, and therapeutic support services for adult victims of violent crime. This proposal aligns with OVC's area of interest that prioritizes victims of assault, robbery, homicide and other violent crimes. Populations to be served are male and female victims of crime who are over the age of 18, with an emphasis on racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, seniors, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ+, and low-income. This initiative also aligns with the Biden Administration’s Executive Order 13985, under Section 1. Policy directive “to pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.” This will be accomplished through an intentional focus on life stability, which supports efforts to address social determinants of health, Social determinants are recognized to be a major cause of inequities, particularly when populations do not have access to the same resources. The project service area includes the following Iowa Counties: Polk, Story, Marshall, Warren, Dallas, Madison, Marion, Boone, and Jasper. CITRC will contract with Drake University to serve as its research partner. The project will serve 900 survivors of violent crime over the next three years (Year 1 -200; Year 2 -300; Year 3 -400), from 10/1/2023 - 9/30/2026. Activities to be conducted include mental health services, medication management, clinical care coordination, therapeutic support services, and professional development and training on the trauma recovery center model for first responders, victim service professionals, and mutually aligned stakeholders. Anticipated outcomes include reductions in a survivor’s symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety and an increase in life stability and quality of life. Additionally, the proposal aims to increase cooperation with law enforcement, and access to trauma recovery center services in communities disproportionately impacted by violent crime.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsField-Generated Solicitation: Increasing Options and Expanding Access for Victims of Crime2024BUILD INCCHICAGOIL15POVC-24-GK-02973-NONFOVC$500,000.00The proposed project, BUILD’s Underserved Victims of Crime Initiative, aims to address the urgent needs of historically marginalized youth and families in the Austin and Humboldt Park neighborhoods of Chicago, which have been disproportionately affected by gun violence. This initiative seeks to enhance existing Intervention and Clinical and Community Wellness programming by expanding personnel and resources to provide comprehensive support services to victims of crime and their families. Key activities will include street outreach, crisis response, case management, and mental health care, delivered directly to those impacted by violence and trauma. By leveraging nontraditional partnerships, particularly with local funeral homes, BUILD will extend its reach to victims and their families, ensuring they receive the necessary assistance during critical times.
The expected outcomes of this initiative include a reduction in the incidence of violence among participants, improved mental health outcomes, and increased community engagement in violence prevention efforts. The service area encompasses six West Side neighborhoods, focusing on Austin and Humboldt Park, where BUILD has a longstanding presence and a proven track record of effective service delivery. The intended beneficiaries are primarily Black and Brown youth, along with their families, who have historically been underserved and adversely affected by systemic inequalities.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsField-Generated Solicitation: Increasing Options and Expanding Access for Victims of Crime2024FLORIDA LEGAL SERVICES, INCNEWBERRYFL15POVC-24-GK-02975-NONFOVC$500,000.00Florida Legal Services (FLS) proposes a three-year project to provide victim-centered, trauma-informed, culturally, and linguistically appropriate civil legal assistance and wraparound services for LEP Haitian crime victims throughout Florida. Facing significant cultural and linguistic barriers, these victims are susceptible to various crimes and are critically underserved by the state's victim and legal services systems. This project aims to enhance legal assistance to help them achieve safety, independence, empowerment, and self-sufficiency.
The proposed project builds on FLS' current FY2022 Enhancing Access funding, through which we have developed strong relationships and partnerships with existing Haitian community organizations and victim services and legal services providers throughout the state. FLS will pilot a unique outreach model, focusing on a more concentrated partnership with two nontraditional, local entities deeply connected to this underserved community: Global Help Center and Daily Bread Distribution Center. To increase access for LEP Haitian survivors, FLS will establish monthly office hours at partner locations engaging crime victims in a familiar, safe, and culturally sensitive environment that acknowledges and addresses socioeconomic issues. Partners will function as a comprehensive, physical hub for wraparound services for this community. FLS plans to develop and refine this non-traditional partnership model, evaluating its effectiveness and optimizing its implementation, with the goal of successful adoption and replication with other partners statewide.


The project will be led by a full-time Project Attorney and a part-time Supervising Attorney, both fluent in Haitian Creole and raised in Haitian farmworker communities in Florida. The Project Attorney has spent two years developing partnerships and trainings for organizations serving Haitian crime victims and has experience creating a Medical-Legal Partnership in Central Florida. She handles immigration, public benefits, family law, housing, and consumer issues. The Supervising Attorney, who will oversee the project, also oversaw the FLS project to enhance access for LEP Haitian crime victims, and has over 12 years’ experience in providing trauma-informed legal assistance to victims of domestic violence.


The project will serve LEP Haitian crime victims statewide through both telephonic legal assistance and representation in court and administrative hearings on legal matters arising out of the victimization, such as injunctions for protection, family law, immigration, housing, public benefits, and consumer matters. As a result of their capacity-building and partnership activities, FLS expects to provide legal assistance to at least 125 LEP Haitian crime victims, and achieve successful outcomes in at least 60% of cases resolved.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsField-Generated Solicitation: Increasing Options and Expanding Access for Victims of Crime2024RAKSHA INCATLANTAGA15POVC-24-GK-02976-NONFOVC$500,000.00Raksha, a Georgia-based nonprofit, proposes the "Building Community Bridges for Healing" project to address the significant barriers faced by the local South Asian and larger AAPI community in accessing victim services and compensation. These barriers include cultural stigma, linguistic challenges, and mistrust of authorities, which contribute to underreporting and underrepresentation in victim compensation statistics. The project aims to increase awareness of and access to culturally and linguistically responsive victim services through strategic collaboration with nontraditional and underserved organizations such as cultural associations, religious institutions, South Asian and AAPI professional and retail associations, community development corporations, and small businesses. Raksha will complete key activities including conducting planning and implementation meetings with a range of collaborators to guide the development of specialized PSAs, workshops, and training sessions tailored to community needs. Raksha will enhance advocacy services by hiring a multilingual advocate to handle the expected increase in service requests due to expanded outreach efforts.Raksha will provide training to staff at collaborating organizations on identifying victims of crime and referring them to appropriate services. Raksha will also work with collaborators to develop and distribute linguistically appropriate outreach materials.By documenting lessons learned and creating a library of resources on their website, Raksha aims to ensure its sustainability and provide materials and tools that can be used in similar projects.
The expected outcomes include increased community awareness of victim services, improved access to these services, and stronger community collaborations. The service area encompasses the entire state of Georgia with a focus on the Metropolitan Atlanta Area and surrounding counties with significant South Asian populations. The intended beneficiaries are South Asian and AAPI individuals, particularly victims of crime.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsMeasuring the Impact of Victim Services: Implementation, Management, and Sustainment of the Measures for Providers Responding to Victimization Experiences (iMPRoVE) Project2022RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTEDURHAMNC15POVC-22-GK-04503-NONFOVC$1,499,981.00Despite major advancements in the victim service field over the past several decades, efforts to demonstrate the impact and effectiveness of these services have lagged. The field needs data on the outcomes and quality of services from survivors perspectives in order to make necessary improvements to services and demonstrate that victim service funds are making a difference for survivors. The Measures for Providers Responding to Victimization Experiences (iMPRoVE) platform was developed to fulfill this need. It is a low-burden, free-to-use platform and tool that victim service providers (VSPs) can use to collect valuable information about the short-term outcomes of services and survivor perspectives on the way services were provided. The goal of this project is to implement the iMPRoVE tool with VSPs nationwide and develop plans for its sustainability. The following are the major objectives: 1) bring awareness and communication about the iMPRoVE tool and its benefits for VSPs and train them on how to use it; 2) distribute, manage, and sustain the iMPRoVE tool for VSPs nationwide; and 3) use the iMPRoVE tool for the collection of data on outcomes, analyze the data, and disseminate the findings.


RTI International will partner with the Justice Research Statistics Association and the GA Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Statistical Analysis Center to carry out this effort. Key project activities include the following: 1) develop and implement an outreach and communication plan to encourage VSPs to utilize the iMPRoVE tool; 2) develop and implement a training and technical assistance (TTA) plan that includes online resources, an online helpdesk, group TTA webinars, and peer-to-peer training; 3) develop and implement a data collection and analysis plan, which includes a data dashboard that presents aggregate data collected from the iMPRoVE tool; 4) develop and implement a sustainability plan for the iMPRoVE platform; and 5) report on iMPRoVE distribution, usage and functionality, and outcomes of victim services.




These activities will help to move the victim service field from a focus on outputs to a focus on effectiveness and quality of services through the utilization of the iMPRoVE tool. The project will provide OVC and the field with valuable data to quantify and convey to funders and policymakers the critical impact that victim services have on survivors lives.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsMeeting the Basic Needs of Underserved Crime Victims2024SEPA MUJER, INCPATCHOGUENY15POVC-24-GG-06110-NONFOVC$200,000.00The goal of this project (Ayuda Latina Hope Fund) is to provide short-term and emergency financial aid such as rental assistance, food gift cards, transportation, etc. on Long Island, NY. SEPA Mujer will assist victims of crime who are facing housing emergencies such as owing rent, facing eviction, loss of employment, etc. These resources will provide short-term assistance to help clients get back on their feet and will be coupled with other programs through alternative funding to ensure that clients achieve stability and self-sufficiency.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsMeeting the Basic Needs of Underserved Crime Victims2024TRINNAZ HELPING HANDSBARSTOWCA15POVC-24-GG-06114-NONFOVC$198,500.00Trin'Naz Helping Hands is a non-profit organization supporting crime victims and survivors in Barstow, California. This project will offer essential support services, including emergency housing assistance, food aid, transportation, and advocacy. The goal is to establish a comprehensive support system that addresses both the immediate and long-term needs of individuals impacted by crime. During the project period, the objectives include implementing a robust network of support services, ensuring inclusivity and cultural competence, building partnerships with local organizations, conducting outreach and awareness campaigns, and continuously evaluating and improving the effectiveness of the services. The project's ultimate aim is to create a trusted and effective support system that significantly improves the well-being and recovery of crime victims in Barstow.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsMeeting the Basic Needs of Underserved Crime Victims2024LESBIAN & GAY COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER INC.NEW YORKNY15POVC-24-GK-03050-NONFOVC$200,000.00The purpose of this grant program is to provide culturally responsive services to crime victims and survivors from communities that have been historically underserved; marginalized; adversely affected by inequality; and disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization. With this funding, LESBIAN & GAY COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER, INC., will serve members of New York City’s LGBTQ+ community who are survivors of violence. The project will provide wraparound, trauma-informed, victim-centered, and culturally responsive services including transportation, food, clothing, health education, mental health services, crisis intervention, and legal services.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsMeeting the Basic Needs of Underserved Crime Victims2024RAKSHA INCATLANTAGA15POVC-24-GK-03056-NONFOVC$200,000.00The purpose of this grant program is to provide culturally responsive services to crime victims and survivors from communities that have been historically underserved; marginalized; adversely affected by inequality; and disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization. With this funding, RAKSHA, INC., will increase the availability and accessibility of basic services and assistance for South Asian crime victims in Georgia. Services will include transportation, housing, food, childcare, and economic empowerment assistance. The target population includes South Asian individuals and families, including immigrants and descendants from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Services to be provided will include transportation, housing, culturally specific foods, employment support such as costs for licensing, educational opportunities, and childcare.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsMeeting the Basic Needs of Underserved Crime Victims2024KINGSBRIDGE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY CENTER INCBRONXNY15POVC-24-GK-03060-NONFOVC$200,000.00The purpose of this grant program is to provide culturally responsive services to crime victims and survivors from communities that have been historically underserved; marginalized; adversely affected by inequality; and disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization. With this funding, KINGSBRIDGE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY CENTER, INC., will help victims access essential resources such as food, transportation, baby supplies, and other basic needs. The target population is individuals from the Latinx community, immigrants, non-English speakers, and those who are economically disadvantaged. The project will serve Bronx County, New York. Services to be provided will include a food pantry and mental health treatment program.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsMeeting the Basic Needs of Underserved Crime Victims2024DIVERSITY CENTER OF OKLAHOMA INCOKLAHOMA CITYOK15POVC-24-GK-03064-NONFOVC$200,000.00The purpose of this grant program is to provide culturally responsive services to crime victims and survivors from communities that have been historically underserved; marginalized; adversely affected by inequality; and disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization. With this funding, DIVERSITY CENTER OF OKLAHOMA, INC., will provide holistic community and culturally specific intimate partner violence prevention and intervention services for gender and sexual minorities, specifically Black and Brown women, including Black transgender women. Services will be provided primarily in Oklahoma City and Folsom Metro areas and throughout Oklahoma as needed. Services to be provided will include advocacy, legal services, gender affirming medical care, counseling, behavioral health, peer support groups, financial literacy, education and career services, parenting classes, housing assistance, and transportation.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsMeeting the Basic Needs of Underserved Crime Victims2024UCANCHICAGOIL15POVC-24-GK-03075-NONFOVC$200,000.00The purpose of this grant program is to provide culturally responsive services to crime victims and survivors from communities that have been historically underserved; marginalized; adversely affected by inequality; and disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization. With this funding, UCAN will provide comprehensive, trauma-informed support to underserved victims of violence, particularly those impacted by gun violence. Services include immediate crisis response; de-escalation; psychosocial, spiritual, and emotional support following violence incidents; and assistance with Crime Victim Compensation applications, case management, trauma-informed counseling, housing and relocation assistance, and emergency needs support. The target population will be residents of Chicago’s South Side African American communities as well as West Side communities with primarily African American and Hispanic residents.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsMeeting the Basic Needs of Underserved Crime Victims2024ASIYAH WOMEN'S CENTER INCBROOKLYNNY15POVC-24-GK-03077-NONFOVC$200,000.00The purpose of this grant program is to provide culturally responsive services to crime victims and survivors from communities that have been historically underserved; marginalized; adversely affected by inequality; and disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and victimization. With this funding, ASIYAH WOMEN'S CENTER, INC., will expand its culturally responsive services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault from Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, South Asian (AMEMSA) community and the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color community in Brooklyn and Staten Island, New York. Services to be provided will include assistance with job readiness, such as resume building, job applications, interview preparation, skills building courses, English as a second language (ESL) classes, transportation, and post-employment skills. Specialized counseling and support groups will also be offered, tailored to the victim’s needs, with an emphasis on trauma-informed care.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsNational Center for Culturally Responsive Victim Services2021UJIMA THE NATIONAL CENTER ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN THE BLACK COMMUNITYWASHINGTONDC15POVC-21-GK-00845-NONFOVC$5,000,000.00Ujima Inc.: The National Center on Violence Against Women (Ujima) and its partner The National Organization of Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault (SCESA) seek support from the US DOJ, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) to establish and implement the National Center for Culturally Responsive Victim Services. As federally-funded Training and Technical Assistance providers, developed by and for culturally specific communities, Ujima and SCESA are uniquely qualified to address the specific needs of victims/survivors from marginalized and underserved communities of color and the organizations that serve them.
Through the National Center, Ujima and SCESA will provide Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) to local, state, and national organizations serving victims/survivors of crime with a specific focus on culturally specific organizations serving victims/survivors of crime from marginalized and underserved communities of color, who are most at-risk. The National Center’s overarching goals will be to: 1) promote racial equity in victim services and compensation by enhancing the organizational and programmatic capacity of victim service organizations run by and for historically underserved communities, including communities of color; 2) provide comprehensive training and technical assistance to advance services to victims of crime; and 3) build the capacity and infrastructure of organizations that provide victim services in underserved communities as all or part of their mission. Ujima and SCESA will meet these goals by implementing a comprehensive TTA project that will include (1) Listening Sessions conducted in the target communities (2) a National Needs Assessment and National Report designed to identify areas with limited to no culturally specific services and solicit feedback about barriers to financial and technical assistance resources for culturally specific organizations in these areas; (3) Regional Knowledge Institutes to increase the capacity of culturally specific organizations to successfully manage grant funds; (4) On-Site Visits to provide individual technical assistance (4) Quarterly Webinars and Web-Based Resources to increase culturally specific organizations awareness about local, state, and national grant funding opportunities; and (5) a National Conference to promote peer-to-peer networking, decrease isolation for culturally specific organizations, and enhance learning opportunities for organizations seeking to better respond to marginalized and underserved victims/survivors of crime from communities of color.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsNational Crime Victims’ Rights Week Community Awareness Projects (2025–2027)2024NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF VOCA ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATORSOKLAHOMA CITYOK15POVC-24-GK-01921-NONFOVC$1,750,000.00The National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators (NAVAA) proposes to increase public awareness of crime victims’ rights and services by managing the provision of financial and technical assistance to approximately 300 communities to conduct public education and awareness activities during the 2025-2027 National Crime Victims’ Rights Weeks (NCVRW).Under this project, in coordination with the Office for Victims of Crime, NAVAA will conduct a competitive solicitation among private and nonprofit agencies, community coalitions, faith-based organizations, academic institutions, tribal organizations, and public agencies. Funding availability will be widely announced through the Department of Justice and victim organizations’ listservs and publications. Applicants will be awarded subgrants of up to $5,000 each to conduct activities in connection with National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to increase the general public’s awareness and knowledge of crime victims’ rights and services in their communities. Funded activities usually include a combination of special events (e.g., candlelight vigils, award presentations, panel discussions, and information fairs); advertising (e.g., radio/TV public service announcements, billboards, bus signs, newspaper and movie theater advertising); distribution of literature (e.g., brochures, pamphlets, and victim service directories); and public awareness items (e.g., buttons, ribbons, and bookmarks).
In addition, the project will provide the selected subgrantees with technical assistance in planning and implementing their public awareness activities. Technical assistance will include webinars, individualized assistance provided via telephone and email, and the distribution of a resource series designed to assist in planning and implementing NCVRW Community Awareness Projects.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsNational Crime Victims' Rights Week Resource Guide (2023)2022NATIONAL CENTER FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME, INC.LANDOVERMD15POVC-22-GK-03654-NONFOVC$1,050,000.00The National Center for Victims of Crime Proposal to Develop the2023 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Resource Guide
Project Abstract
The National Center for Victims of Crime (National Center) proposes to enter into a cooperative
agreement for the 18-month period with the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) to develop the
2023 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) Resource Guide based on the provided
theme narrative, as well as the 2024 NCVRW theme and narrative. The Resource Guide will be
presented as the product of a partnership between the Office for Victims of Crime and the
National Center for Victims of Crime to ensure the continuity of annual outreach efforts
conducted by both organizations
.
The 2023 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Resource Guide will provide a readymade,
adaptable resource for the victim services field, communities, victims, and the public to
use during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, in April 2023, and throughout the year to
heighten awareness of the rights of crime victims and the services they can access. Building on
the Resource Guides previously prepared by the National Center for OVC, the 2023 NCVRW
Resource Guide will comprise a wide range of resources including crime awareness posters
,
social media tips and tools, frequently asked questions, event and presentation tips, media
content and strategies, a history of crime victims’ rights, and high-quality art that users can adapt
for their public awareness efforts
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Working closely with OVC, the National Center will develop the Resource Guide’s
overall graphic design, written content, layout, and web-ready files for OVC’s NCVRW site
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The National Center also will help manage the production of the Theme video with Video Action promote the theme poster and Resource Guide and provide
OVC with a final report that includes an evaluation of the Resource Guide by the field.
National Center for Victims of Crime/ Project Abstract
2023 NCVRW Resource Guide/ August 1, 2022
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsNational Joint Training Conference for VOCA Victim Assistance and Victim Compensation Administrators (2022-2024)2021NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF VOCA ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATORSOKLAHOMA CITYOK15POVC-21-GK-01066-NONFOVC$750,000.00Project AbstractThe National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators (NAVAA) proposes to provide training and current information on federal grant management and victim services to state VOCA assistance administrative agencies and crime victim compensation programs. The project will host national training conferences for State VOCA Victim Assistance and Victim Compensation Administrators in 2022, 2023, and 2024. The conferences is a training opportunity for SAAs to: (1) to improve the delivery of services to victims of crime; address issues and trends in victim services; (2) improve the administration of VOCA victim assistance and/or crime victim compensation formula grants; (3) provide a forum for the exchange of information, views, and experiences with colleagues; (4) improve the provision of victim services; and provide support on effective program, grant, and financial management; (5) also provide VOCA Administrators with information vital to complying with their responsibilities as managers of VOCA victim assistance and/or crime victim compensation programs. NAVAA will plan, implement, and evaluate each of the training conferences.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsNational Resource Centers for Victim Research, Evaluation, and Reaching Underserved Victims2023JUSTICE INFORMATION RESOURCE NETWORK INC.WASHINGTONDC15POVC-23-GK-02766-NONFOVC$1,500,000.00The Justice Research and Statistics Association, together with the Urban Institute, is pleased to respond to the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) solicitation, OVC FY 2023 National Resource Centers for Victim Research, Evaluation, and Reaching Underserved Victims, O-OVC-2023-171721, Category 2: Research and Evaluation.
These organizations propose to renew the Center for Victim Research (CVR) from October 2023 to September 2025. This team is uniquely and exceptionally qualified for this opportunity, having previously founded and operated the CVR from October 2016 to September 2020 with OVC funding. CVR maintains a strong online presence, including an open access library, collections of tools to promote the use of data and engagement in research, evidence syntheses, archived webinars and podcasts, and much more.


The goal in reinvigorating the CVR is to strengthen both the evidence base for culturally diverse, multidisciplinary victim services and the capabilities of applied victim researchers by supporting participatory studies, evaluations, and research translation with victim-survivors and the providers who serve them.


In support of this goal, the team will 1) Manage the CVR initiative and infrastructure; 2) Facilitate state research partnerships between VOCA Administrators and Statistical Analysis Centers, in close collaboration with OVC’s State Victim Resource Division and the OVC Center for VOCA Administrators; 3) Strengthen community research-practice collaborations, by increasing the diversity and number of researchers conducting applied research related to underserved victims, renewing the Research-to-Practice Cadre of national victim resource centers, and forming a Community Workgroup of culturally diverse, multidisciplinary victim service providers and survivors; 4) Synthesize, Translate, & Disseminate Research Evidence, particularly evidence relating to community and gun violence and the needs of underserved and historically marginalized victims; and 5) Coordinate with other OVC TTA Providers to extend access to information and avoiding duplication of efforts.


Activities under these objectives will be designed to meet the goals of Executive Order 13985 by promoting racial equity and contributing to greater access to services and opportunities for historically underserved and marginalized communities.
Project deliverables include: coordination with OVC’s SVRD and VOCA Center to improve VOCA Administrator use of data and evidence; a report on victim research and evaluation that includes knowledge gaps surrounding victims of community and gun violence; training and technical assistance to VOCA Administrators; a plan to increase the diversity and number of involved researchers; conference participation; and expanded tools and resources to promoted victim-related research and evaluation.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsNational Resource Centers for Victim Research, Evaluation, and Reaching Underserved Victims2023ACTIVATING CHANGE, INC.BROOKLYNNY15POVC-23-GK-02767-NONFOVC$1,500,000.00Activating Change is requesting $1.5 million for the purpose of relaunching the National Center for Reaching Victims (NRC), which Activating Change (then a project of the Vera Institute of Justice) successfully led from 2016 – 2020. The overarching goal of the NRC is to transform victim services to provide culturally and linguistically specific, trauma-informed, and accessible services that identify, reach, and meet the needs of underserved victims. The NRC will focus its efforts on children, boys and men of color, former justice-involved individuals, and people with disabilities from these three communities. Primary activities and outcomes will include: updating and remarketing the NRC website (reachingvictims.org) and original resources; conducting an assessment to determine the most critical unmet needs and barriers experienced by survivors from the project’s communities of focus; providing 8 virtual trainings to address these needs; providing up to 12 in-person trainings and/or on-site technical assistance; developing up to 12 resources designed to help remove barriers and successfully serve survivors from the project’s communities of focus; responding to field-generated requests for training and technical assistance; and developing a summary report with tools and resources that identify methods, provide guidance, and outline promising practices for serving victims and their families from the project’s communities of focus that are impacted by community and gun violence. The NRC will work in partnership with the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), other Federal grant-making offices, national resource centers, and other efforts with shared goals to avoid duplication and ensure leveraging of all resources. The intended beneficiaries of the NRC are victim service providers in the service area of the United States. Subrecipients include the Center for Justice Innovation and a to be identified subrecipient to lead the work on child victims. The NRC is specifically designed to address racial inequities and to increase access to victim services for victims from communities that have been underserved and marginalized – four communities, specifically: boys and men of color, children, former justice-involved people, and people with disabilities from Black and brown communities. Racial equity, access and inclusion, and community engagement are foundational pillars of the NRC and woven into all aspects of the project, including staffing, assessment, and project design. Activating Change and partners will prioritize people who are from their respective communities of focus and who have lived experience as victims to serve on their expert work groups.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsPeer-to-Peer Support for Survivors of Crime2023NATIONAL CENTER FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME, INC.LANDOVERMD15POVC-23-GK-00765-NONFOVC$2,000,000.00The National Center for Victims of Crime/NCVC serves as a pass-through entity and TTA provider for programs using or interested in establishing trauma-informed peer-to-peer support programs to provide greater access or enhance the quality of assistance and services to more crime victims. Most peer-to-peer work began in culturally specific communities, long before mainstream organizations acknowledged its importance in victim services. The proposed project places a strong emphasis on ensuring that culturally specific programs, that know this work well, are a part of this process and that their work is centered in this space. Through this project, NCVC will accomplish the following goals:
Identify innovative, or non-traditional programs specifically designed for the communities or populations to be served, which may lead to models that can be duplicated in other communities. NCVC’s focus will be to undertake the development of a competitive funding opportunity to provide subawards to 10 community sites doing peer-to-peer work. As the TTA provider, NCVC will assist and support communities across the country in establishing or expanding programs to support crime survivors. To aid in capacity building, the TTA provided will support subgrantees on administrative and programmatic aspects of their peer led programs. Programs may be in the form of independent and peer-run programs, mutual support groups, mentoring programs, or peer-to-peer support within community-based organizations.


Building the knowledge about, and community capacity to provide, peer-to-peer support options for victims of all types of crime. NCVC will work contractually with Urban Institute as the project evaluation partner. Evaluation will include the development of the data collection instrument, performance measure tracking, focus groups, analysis, and reporting.


To provide comprehensive TTA that serves the needs of historically underserved populations, NCVC partners with subject matter experts. These partners make up the Peer-to-Peer Advisory Council serving as subject matter experts who inform NCVC's project team and the selected community sites.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsResponding to Transgender Victims of Crime2022F.O.R.G.E. INC.MILWAUKEEWI15POVC-22-GK-01054-NONFOVC$749,908.00FORGE proposes to update the Responding to Transgender Victims of Sexual Assault Toolkit it developed for OVC in 2014 to extend its scope to address all the major types of violence/crime trans people are subject to and to add a particular focus on the experience of trans women and girls of color. Research for the updates will include convening 23 listening sessions of trans survivors and victim service providers to identify pressing issues, gaps in service, and best practices for addressing those gaps and victim needs. A stakeholders advisory group comprised of providers and trans community members will help FORGE identify listening session participants and co-facilitate relevant sessions that align with their expertise. Results of the listening sessions will be summarized in a formal report to OVC. Input from listening sessions, stakeholders, literature reviews, identified best practices, and a review of the existing Toolkit will be combined into a memorandum to OVC that outlines proposed revisions, updates, and additions for the new Toolkit. More than two dozen organizations have already been recruited and confirmed for the stakeholders advisory group or other roles to provide additional expertise, resources, and best practices. Key partners and community input partners will play a central role in the development of all components in this project. Some of the confirmed partners include: the National Center for Victims of Crime, End Violence Against Women International, SPARC/Aequitas, Resource Sharing Project, International Association of Forensic Nurses, Activating Change (formerly Vera), Montana and Michigan Coalitions, Just Detention International and others. Community input partners include the Trans Latin@ Coalition, Trans People of Color Coalition, Casa Ruby, Transgender Gender-Variant and Intersex Justice Project, and other many other organizations focusing on and led by trans people of color.
These organizations will also help FORGE staff draft and edit new content for the Toolkit. FORGE will engage website and design consultants to design the Toolkit, which FORGE will host. A detailed dissemination plan will be submitted to OVC, with the following already identified to be included in the outreach and dissemination strategy: 1) pre-designed social media toolkits (for partners and other organizations to use); 2) journal articles; 3) direct promotion by FORGE and partners through social media, newsletters, and conferences; 4) a webinar; and 5) conference presentations. Although expected users of the Toolkit are victim service providers, trans victims of crimes and violence will be the beneficiaries of improved services.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsTargeted Training and Technical Assistance for VOCA Victim Assistance and Compensation Administrators2023NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE ASSOCIATIONWASHINGTONDC15POVC-23-GK-02220-NONFOVC$6,000,000.00The National Criminal Justice Association proposes to continue the work of the OVC Center for Victims of Crime Act Administrators (OVC VOCA Center). The purpose of the OVC VOCA Center is to provide peer led and subject matter expert training and technical assistance to Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victim Assistance and Compensation formula grant State Administering Agencies (SAAs) and subrecipients in all states and territories. Project activities include stakeholder engagement; peer-to-peer technical assistance; subject matter expert led in-person and virtual trainings; resource document development; coordination with national associations; and project evaluation. Expected outcomes include increased access to victim services; equity in grant administration, increased knowledge of Victims of Crime Act grant administration, management and compliance; the advancement of promising practices, policies and programming, and enhanced communication and networking between the Office for Victims of Crime, State Administering Agencies and subrecipients. Victims of Crime Act Victim Assistance and Compensation formula grant State Administering Agencies and Victims of Crime Act Victim Assistance subrecipients are the intended beneficiaries of the project.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsTransforming America’s Response to Elder Abuse: Enhanced Multidisciplinary Teams (E-MDTs) for Older Victims of Abuse and Financial Exploitation and T&TA2023PIKES PEAK ELDER JUSTICE CENTERCOLORADO SPRINGSCO15POVC-23-GG-02400-NONFOVC$372,004.00PPEJC will not be expanding our staff to include a Prevention Specialist.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsTransforming America’s Response to Elder Abuse: Enhanced Multidisciplinary Teams (E-MDTs) for Older Victims of Financial Exploitation and Abuse2021COMMUNITY PARTNERSLOS ANGELESCA15POVC-21-GG-01077-NONFOVC$375,000.00Breaking Down Barriers: A Multidisciplinary Team Approach to Strengthening
California’s Elder Justice System
Abstract
CEJC will create a state-level, enhanced multidisciplinary team (A*TEAM) to address systemic barriers that local MDTs encounter but lack the capacity to address. These include inconsistencies in how statutes and regulations are implemented, interpreted, or enforced; service gaps; confusing, overlapping, or conflicting roles and responsibilities of agencies that respond to abuse; unequal access to services; discriminatory practices; unmet training needs; failure to enforce laws, regulations, or penalties; barriers to restitution recovery and compensation; and the need for policy reform. MDTs across California may refer cases for A*TEAM review. The A*TEAM will include experts in elder abuse policy and programs, representatives from state agencies with key roles in abuse prevention, policy analysts, victim services administrators, advocates for underserved populations, the director of a university-based elder-law clinic, trainers, and representations from law enforcement, regulatory agencies, and courts. Members will evaluate the scope, causes, and impact of systemic barriers and recommend actions such as: Requesting guidance, program reviews, audits, interpretations of statutes, or new policies.
Seeking assistance from professional associations (e.g., serving forensics accountants and neuropsychologists) to recruit members to serve on MDTs. Exploring statutory and programmatic innovations and best practices. Alerting researchers to the need for data to demonstrate policy needs and impacts.
Informing training academies or schools about training needs. The A*TEAM Coordinator will follow up on recommendations, and cases will be summarized, archived, and available to policy makers, advocates, and researchers to avert duplicative or repetitive efforts, facilitate research, and contribute to the collective knowledge about elder justice policy and practice.
CEJC will identify MDTs across the state and inform them about the A*TEAM, facilitate exchange, and identify and respond to training and technical assistance needs. CEJC will also provide information on A*TEAM processes, accomplishments, challenges, and findings to advocates, resource centers, and other stakeholders across the country. Project deliverables include the A*TEAM, enhanced policy, an archive of systemic obstacles and resolutions, an MDT database, replicable A*TEAM operational materials, webinars, presentations, website content, and articles. Outcomes for victims include access to comprehensive services to recover misappropriated assets, recover from trauma, and reduce risk. Benefits to MDT members include heightened understanding of victims’ needs and strategies for effecting systemic changes, dynamic partnerships, and enhanced performance. California’s response to elder abuse will be more equitable, streamlined, and responsive, and there will be greater alignment and collaboration among states.
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Human Trafficking and Crime VictimsCommunity-based Approaches to Prevent and Address Hate Crimes2022VOCES UNIDAS FOR JUSTICECOLORADO SPRINGSCO15PBJA-22-GG-04860-ADVABJA$400,000.00Proposal Abstract Applicant’s name and the project’s title: Voce s Unidas for Justice, Project Title – Finding a Healing Way Back from Hate. Location of project: Colorado Springs, Colorado. Requesting $300,000 of federal grants for 36-months of a project. Our organization, Voces Unidas for Justice, also received federal FVPSA and STOP VAWA dollars from the state passthrough agencies. Summary of the plan to use and analyze data to assess and enhance reporting of hate crimes.
Summary of project goals and activities: Goals are to help un/under-served victim of hate crimes with awareness that help and reporting options exist, with being willing to use the help services, and to help assure access for un/under-served victims of hate crimes. The activities are: a social media campaign building on an existig campaign for un/underserved victim of violence (DV, SA, dating violence, stalking, trafficking) and expanding it to include hate crimes; coordinate the helpline and train people to work on a Spanish and English help line for victims of violence; convene and facilitate the Intersectional Equity in Victim Services Task Force with community partners who are from the LGBTQQI+, disability, immigrant, and Black and Latin@ communities of survivors and service providers, and to evaluate the work, from a culturally-relevant, trauma-sensitive, healing focused perspective, over the three-year process. The specific issues to be addressed by the project are: more hate crimes have been reported in the past two years, people who fit the demographics of being un/under-served victims of crime are the most vulnerable to hate crimes, Black and Brown People, Lesbians, Gay people, Transgender people, and these victims are going without support, healing or justice, other than in their/our own communities and not necessarily from victim services The applicant, Voces Unidas for Justice, is seeking priority consideration for both 1(A), and 1(B). On pages _____ is reference to the racial equity aspect of the work. The organization who will receive the funding as a culturally-specific organization, is us, the applicant. Our primary purpose as a whole is provide victim services, both intervention and prevention, to Latin@ victims of crime.
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TOTAL: $49,801,607.00
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