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 Enlace Comunitario, a non-profit organization based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The grant, effective from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2027, will enable Enlace Comunitario to implement a project addressing the following purpose areas: 1) enhancing traditional services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking through the leadership of culturally specific programs; 2) providing culturally specific programs for children exposed to these forms of violence; and 3) providing culturally specific resources and services that address the safety, economic, housing, and workplace needs of victims, including emergency assistance for the Latino community in central New Mexico. The project will focus on delivering wrap-around direct services, workforce development, legal advocacy, and training for promotoras and youth leaders to provide culturally specific, prevention-focused community presentations and resources.

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, enlace comunitario will implement a project addressing the following purpose areas: purpose area 4 - enhancing traditional services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking through the leadership of culturally specific programs offering services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; purpose area 6 - providing culturally specific programs for children exposed to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; and purpose area 7- providing culturally specific resources and services that address the safety, economic, housing, and workplace needs of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, including emergency assistance for the latine community in central new mexico. The project will address priority area 3: expanding economic justice. Specific activities will include: 1) wrap around direct services; 2) workforce development; 3) legal advocacy; and 4) training promotoras and youth leaders to provide culturally specific, prevention-focused community presentations and resources.