The grants for outreach and services to underserved populations (underserved program) was statutorily created in the violence against women reauthorization act of 2013 to develop and implement…

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), a component of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), awarded a $600,000 Project Grant under the Grants for Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations (CFDA 16.889) program to In Our Own Voices, Inc. (IOOV), a non-profit organization, for the period of October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2026. Through this continuation grant, IOOV will partner with Centro Civico to provide outreach and direct services to Black and Latino/a LGBTQ+ victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in the Capital Region of New York State. Key activities include supporting a new full-time victim advocate and mental health counselor, delivering population-specific victim services, providing training and technical assistance to Centro Civico, and facilitating survivor education and involvement. This funding aims to develop and implement outreach strategies and victim services for underserved populations impacted by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

The grants for outreach and services to underserved populations (underserved program) was statutorily created in the violence against women reauthorization act of 2013 to develop and implement outreach strategies targeted at adult or youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking in underserved populations, and to provide victim services to meet the needs of such populations. Grant funds may be used to: 1) work with federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local governments, agencies, and organizations to develop or enhance population specific victim services; 2) strengthen the capacity of underserved populations to provide population specific victim services; 3) strengthen the capacity of traditional victim service providers to provide population specific victim services; 4) strengthen the effectiveness of criminal and civil justice interventions by providing training for law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and other court personnel on domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking in underserved populations; 5) work in cooperation with an underserved population to develop and implement outreach, education, prevention, and intervention strategies that highlight available resources and the specific issues faced by victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking from underserved populations; or (6) provide population-specific training for social and human services providers on domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking in underserved populations. In our own voices (ioov) will partner with centro civico to provide outreach and services to black and latin@ lgbt victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in the capital region area of new york state. Through this continuation award, the project will: 1) support a new fulltime victim advocate and a new fulltime mental health counselor; 2) provide population specific direct services for survivors; 3) provide training and technical assistance to centro civico; and 4) facilitate survivor education and involvement.