Community Awareness Projects:
Raising Public Awareness of NCVRW

Since 2004, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has been providing competitive funding opportunities to local communities to reimburse up to $5,000 in costs associated with conducting public awareness activities during National Crime Victims' Rights Week. This initiative, known as the NCVRW Community Awareness Project, has enhanced the ability of 193 communities throughout the United States to raise awareness about victims' rights and services among the general public.

The NCVRW funding program is one of several OVC efforts to support and promote NCVRW events. What follows is a brief overview of OVC's efforts to raise the collective voice on behalf of crime victims during National Crime Victims' Rights Week:

• 2007 NCVRW Community Awareness Projects
• Tips And Strategies To Promote Community Awareness
• Previous NCVRW Funding Awards

2007 NCVRW Community Awareness Projects

The National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators (NAVAA), through a grant from OVC, has competitively selected 62 communities to conduct public awareness initiatives during National Crime Victims' Rights Week, April 22–28, 2007.

The 64 communities selected for 2007 CAP support are public agencies, nonprofits, community-based victim service organizations, faith-based organizations, and community coalitions who submitted their NCVRW Awareness applications by November 2006. Applicants were notified of the status of their applications in January 2007. For more information, e-mail cap@navaa.org.

Please visit the NAVAA's 2007 NCVRW Community Awareness Projects Web site for information on eligibility and application criteria, answers to frequently asked questions, previous award recipients, and tips on promoting victim and community awareness.

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Tips And Strategies To Promote Community Awareness

Community Awareness Projects funded by OVC demonstrate a broad range of ideas and strategies for promoting National Crime Victims' Rights Week. OVC has compiled a list of creative NCVRW awareness activities including art exhibits and contests, blood drives, runs/walks, and community fairs that can be easily adapted to different jurisdictions. Some examples of previously selected public awareness strategies include:

Advertisements

• billboard advertising
• advertising in local newspapers
• television and radio public service announcements

Signs/Displays

• table displays for local restaurants
• posters, display boards, and promotional materials
• lawn signs for distribution and placement throughout residential communities

Fliers/Brochures

• grocery bag inserts
• brochures for outreach to non-English speaking victims
• informational fliers for the restrooms of local bars and nightclubs that provide local victim service hotline numbers

Events/Activities

• community resource fairs/workshops/lectures
• creation or restoration of victim memorial gardens or community spaces for reflection and tribute to victims
• candlelight vigils
• youth forums, art contests, and essay contests at local schools
• fun runs/walks and 5K races to raise awareness
• awards breakfasts/luncheons

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Previous NCVRW Funding Awards

Since 1981, the United States has celebrated National Crime Victims' Rights Week. Each year, OVC hosts an awards ceremony and other scheduled events and supports local activities through the creation of the NCVRW Resource Guide.

In 2004, for the first time, OVC offered 64 communities across the country an opportunity to be reimbursed, up to $5,000, for expenses related to local NCVRW events.

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