Office on Violence Against Women awards $30.59 million to improve services for underserved populations and provide culturally specific services

The Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) announced Monday nearly $31 million in upcoming grant awards to improve outreach, services and support for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking from underserved communities and culturally specific populations. Specifically, OVW’s Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services and Sexual Assault Services - Culturally Specific Programs will award a combined total of $18,315,762 through 59 grants to promote community-based programs that offer culturally and linguistically specific services.

Under the Grants for Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations Program, OVW will award $4,499,858 to 10 grantees to provide victim services and deploy outreach strategies tailored to the needs of survivors from underserved populations. OVW’s Disabilities Grant Program will award $4,119,788 for 10 projects to build community-wide capacity to provide accessible, safe, and effective services for survivors with disabilities and Deaf individuals. In addition, under the Abuse in Later Life Program, OVW will award $3,650,833 to six grantees to create multidisciplinary partnerships for a comprehensive approach to address elder abuse. OVW Acting Director Allison Randall announced the funding at the 2022 National Conference on Domestic Violence.

“By advancing equity for all, we can promote public safety and increase public trust,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Today’s announcement furthers OVW’s work to implement the Department of Justice’s Equity Action Plan. By increasing grant awards to culturally specific, community-based organizations OVW is helping to reduce violence and advance civil rights.”

“It is imperative that we think about barriers that stand between survivors and their access to justice, safety, and healing – including barriers in our own services and systems – and commit ourselves to breaking down those barriers,” said Acting Director Randall. “At OVW, we are making that commitment by enhancing funding for organizations that are operated by and for communities of color and historically marginalized and underserved populations. In this year’s grant solicitations, we prioritized funding for culturally specific, community-based organizations, Tribal organizations, and population-specific organizations. This is critical, because advocates report that survivors are more likely to seek services from organizations they can trust are familiar with their culture, their language and their background.”

OVW’s Culturally Specific Services Program funds the development of innovative culturally and linguistically specific approaches that offer survivors services they might not be able to find at mainstream organizations. The Disabilities Program funds education, training, services, and capacity building to ensure people with disabilities can safely and fully access resources in their communities for survivors of sexual and domestic violence. Through training and services, the Abuse in Later Life Program addresses elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking, against victims who are 50 years of age or older.

OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW undertakes initiatives in response to special needs identified by communities facing acute challenges. To learn more, visit www.justice.gov/ovw.