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 Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women has awarded a $500,000 Project Grant under the Grants for Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations program (CFDA 16.889) to Proyecto Matria, Inc., a Puerto Rico-based non-profit organization. The "Estamos Para Ti" (We Are for You) project aims to provide outpatient services to at least 10,000 victims of gender-based violence who face barriers due to sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or geographic location. Key activities funded include: developing or enhancing population-specific victim services; strengthening the capacity of organizations and victim service providers to serve underserved populations; providing training for law enforcement and the justice system on serving these survivors; and collaborating with community partners to implement outreach, education, prevention, and intervention strategies. Proyecto Matria will leverage its expertise and partnerships to address critical gaps in accessing comprehensive, culturally responsive services for domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking victims from LGBTQ+, rural, and disability communities across Puerto Rico.

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. The "estamos para TI" (we are for you") project proposes to offer outpatient services to no less than 10,000 victims of gender-based violence who face barriers due to their sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or geographic location (rural areas ), to address the following five (5) gaps across the 13 judicial areas in puerto rico: (1) develop or improve services for underserved victims; (2) outreach strategies to reach neglected survivors; (3) increase the capacity of organizations to specifically serve the underserved population, survivors of these crimes; (4) the capacity of victim service providers to provide specific services to this population; (5) train and educate community partners and the criminal justice system about the needs of survivors of underserved populations. Guided by one (1) priority area: promoting gender equity as an essential component of reducing sexual assault, violence, domestic dating violence, and stalking through our culturally specific organization with a track record of serving lgbt populations, rural women, and people with disabilities. To achieve this, we will have the support of several key partners with a long history in providing services to victims of gender violence and a work plan (with activities, dates, indicators, and resources) that guarantees the development or improvement of the following six (6) objectives based on the selected underserved population: work with government, state/municipal agencies and organizations to develop or improve specific services for the population; 2. Strengthen the capacity of the government, agencies and organizations to provide specific services to the population; 3. Strengthen the capacity of traditional victim service providers to provide care to the underserved population; 4. Strengthen the effectiveness of criminal and civil justice interventions by providing training for law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and other judicial personnel on gender-based violence in underserved populations; 5. Work in cooperation with representatives of the lgbt community, rural women and people with disabilities, the development and implementation of outreach, education, prevention and intervention strategies specific to the population and 6. Provide specific training to social service providers and human resources to serve the neglected population.