The grants to enhance culturally specific services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking program is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 20124

The U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $450,000 Project Grant under the Culturally and Linguistically Specific Services Program (CFDA 16.016) to Solo POR Hoy, a woman-owned non-profit community development corporation in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The grant will fund the organization's project to provide culturally specific services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Puerto Rico. Key services to be delivered include:

1. Culturally specific training for government, criminal justice, and social services organizations; 2) Housing referrals; 3) Case management; 4) Transportation; and 5) Emergency assistance. The project aims to address racial equity by focusing on the needs of Latino and LGBTQIA+ populations in Puerto Rico. The 3-year grant period runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2027.

This program supports the maintenance and replication of existing successful community-based programs providing culturally specific services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, as well as the development of innovative culturally specific strategies to enhance access to services and resources for victims who face obstacles to using more traditional programs. Culturally specific services means community-based services that include culturally relevant and linguistically specific services and resources to culturally specific communities which are statutorily defined as american indians (including alaska natives, eskimos, and aleuts); asian americans; native hawaiians and other pacific islanders; blacks; and hispanics. Projects must address at least one of the programs statutory purpose areas. Through this continuation culturally specific services program project, solo POR HOY will implement a project addressing multiple purpose areas including the following: purpose area 1 - working with state and local governments and social service agencies to develop and enhance effective strategies to provide culturally specific services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; purpose area 3 - strengthening criminal justice interventions, by providing training for law enforcement, prosecution, courts, probation, and correctional facilities on culturally specific responses; and purpose area 5 - working in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies highlighting culturally specific issues and resources for latino and lgbtqia+ populations in puerto rico. The project will address priority area 1: advancing racial equity. Specific activities will include: 1) culturally specific training for government, criminal justice, and social services organizations; 2) housing referrals; 3) case management; 4) transportation; and 5) emergency assistance.