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 New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, Inc. (AVP) received a $600,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women under the Grants for Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations (CFDA 16.889) program. This funding will enable AVP to expand its Underserved LGBTQ Survivor Support Services Project in partnership with the Caribbean Equality Project. The key products and services to be delivered include:

1. Conducting cross-training between the two organizations to strengthen their capacity to provide culturally responsive services to LGBTQ survivors, especially Caribbean-American community members.
2. Developing co-branded outreach materials to be distributed by both organizations.
3. Providing individual direct services such as counseling, advocacy, crisis intervention, and referrals for 150 survivors, as well as 15 support group sessions specifically for the Caribbean Equality Project community.
4. Delivering 12 trainings to community-based organizations on serving LGBTQ survivors.
5. Conducting 4 community education events.

The grant term runs from October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2026.

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 new york city GAY and lesbian anti-violence project (AVP) will use this funding to expand their underserved lesbian, GAY, bisexual, transgender, queer (lgbtq) survivor support services project. AVP is partnering with the caribbean equality project (CEP), with the goal of increasing access for caribbean-american lgbtq survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and/or stalking to culturally responsive, inclusive, and affirming safety, support, and services, across new york city, with a focus on manhattan, queens, and brooklyn. Through this new award, the project will: 1) conduct cross-training between the two organizations; 2) develop CO-branded materials to be distributed by both organizations during ongoing outreach; 3) provide individual direct services for 150 survivors, such as counseling, advocacy, crisis intervention, information and referral, and deliver 15 support group sessions specifically for CEP community members; 4) deliver 12 trainings to community-based organizations; and 5) provide 4 community education events.