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

This Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women, under the Grants for Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations Program (CFDA 16.889), provides $600,000 in funding to US Together Inc. (dba Columbus International Program) over a 3-year period from October 2024 to September 2027.

The grant supports US Together's efforts to develop and implement outreach strategies and provide victim services to meet the needs of limited English proficient immigrant and refugee survivors of sexual assault, with a focus on non-intimate partner sexual assault, including adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and female circumcision. Key services to be delivered include mental and physical health care, safety planning, employment assistance, rental and utility assistance, economic integration, legal assistance, and professional community training for service providers on topics related to victim services for this underserved population. All services will be provided with professional interpretation as needed.

The grants for outreach and services to underserved populations (underserved program) was statutorily created in the violence against women reauthorization act of 2013 (vawa 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) strengthen the response of social and human services by providing population-specific training for service providers on domestic violence, dating violence sexual assault, or stalking in underserved populations. Eligible applicants are limited to: population specific organizations or victim service providers that are (1) deaf programs (2) lesbian, GAY, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) organizations, (3) organizations serving underserved religious populations, (4) disability programs, or (5) organizations serving certain underserved racial and ethnic populations. US together serves limited english proficient (LEP) immigrant and refugee survivors of sexual assault with a focus on non-intimate partner sexual assault, including adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and female circumcision. This is a population with culturally diverse and specific needs including immigration status concerns, immigration trauma, culture shock, and physical and mental health issues related to their experiences of sexual violence. To work through the additional barriers faced by this population, US together will serve 180 survivors of SA in a three-year timespan. US together will provide mental and physical health care, safety planning, employment assistance, rental and utility assistance, economic integration, and/or legal assistance to those served. US together will also provide a professional community training program to service providers on varying topics related to victim services for this underserved population. All services will be offered with professional interpretation when needed.