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 $525,000 Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services (CFDA 16.016) project grant to Sewa-Aifw, a non-profit organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This three-year grant, effective from October 2024 to September 2027, will enable Sewa-Aifw to implement a project addressing multiple purpose areas, including: 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; 2) increasing the community's capacity to provide culturally specific resources and support for victims and their families; and 3) enhancing traditional services to victims through the leadership of culturally specific programs for Asian Americans in Minnesota. Key activities funded under this grant include a women's support group, a LGBTQ+ retreat, youth programming, an economic empowerment program, and a men's support group.

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, sewa-aifw (asian indian family wellness) will implement a project addressing multiple purpose areas including: 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 2 - increasing communities capacity to provide culturally specific resources and support for victims and their families; and purpose area 4 - enhancing traditional services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking through the leadership of culturally specific programs for asian americans in minnesota. The project will address priority area 2: strengthening efforts to prevent and end sexual assault and priority area 3: expanding economic justice. Specific activities will include: 1) chai & chat womens support group; 2) desi pride parade and lgbtq+ retreat; 3) chaand and suraj programming for youth; 4) the karuna women lead economic empowerment program; and 5) mens circle prayas.