E-ALERT: Volume 2, Number 3

IMPORTANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

RURAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CHILD VICTIMIZATION ENFORCEMENT GRANT PROGRAM SPECIAL INITIATIVE: FAITH-BASED AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVE PILOT PROGRAM

Diane Stuart, Director of the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women, and the Department's Task Force for Faith-based and Community Initiatives announces the release of a FY2005 Grant Program Solicitation designed to expand grass roots, faith-based and community-based services to rural victims of domestic violence. The deadline is April 18, 2005.

The primary purpose of the Rural Program is to enhance the safety of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, and child abuse by supporting projects uniquely designed to address and prevent these crimes in rural America. The program challenges victim advocates, law enforcement officers, pre-trial service personnel, prosecutors, judges and other court personnel, probation and parole officers, and community leaders to work together to craft solutions to overcome the problem of domestic violence.

Faith-based and community organizations have a long history in bringing aid to victims of domestic violence and their families. More often than not, victims of domestic violence seek the comfort, guidance, and assistance of faith-based and community organizations because these organizations are trusted members of the communities in which they live. The trust and familiarity vested in these organizations by the communities they serve has translated into the ability to provide social services on a level not traditionally supported by the federal government. OVW recognizes the value of this history and seeks to promote greater and more equitable participation of faithbased and community organizations in social services programs supported by the Department of Justice through the Faith-based and Community Initiative in order to fulfill its mandate to effectively serve victims of domestic violence.

This Pilot Program is distinct from the FY 2005 Rural Domestic Violence and Child Victimization Grant Program as OVW will award funding, through a cooperative agreement, to intermediary organizations that will (1) support the activities of small, grass roots faith-based and community organizations in serving rural victims of domestic violence through the management of competitive sub-awards and (2) provide technical assistance to sub-award recipients to develop their capacity to provide services to rural victims of domestic violence.

For more information, we invite you to visit the DOJ Task Force for Faith-based and Community Initiatives website, at http://www.usdoj.gov/fbci.