The rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking program (rural program) is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 12341

The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded Community Council of Idaho, Inc. $742,909 on October 1, 2025, under the Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program (CFDA 16.589) to deliver victim services and prevention strategies in rural Idaho communities through September 30, 2028.

This continuation award funds legal services, victim advocacy, law enforcement collaboration, and specialized services for immigrant victims through Community Council of Idaho's Familias Unidas program. The program operates in partnership with Voices Against Violence, Bingham Crisis Center, and other collaborating organizations to identify, assess, and respond to child, youth, and adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in rural communities. Services include treatment, counseling, and legal assistance to victims, cooperative efforts among law enforcement and prosecutors, and education and prevention strategies addressing the specific needs of victims in remote and geographically isolated areas.

Performance occurs in Caldwell, Idaho. Community Council of Idaho is a tax-exempt nonprofit headquartered in Caldwell that serves vulnerable populations including migrant and seasonal farmworkers, low-income families, and rural communities across Idaho. The organization currently administers over $1.2 million in Rural Domestic Violence assistance awards from the Office on Violence Against Women.

Rural program funds are used to support programs that: 1) identify, assess, and appropriately respond to child, youth, and adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in rural communities; 2) establish and expand victim services in rural communities to child, youth, and adult victims; 3) increase the safety and well-being of women and children in rural communities, by (a) dealing directly and immediately with domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking; and (B) creating and implementing strategies to increase awareness and prevent these crimes; and 4) develop, expand, implement, and improve the quality of sexual assault forensic medical examination or sexual assault nurse examiner programs. Grantees must use at least one of the following strategies in implementing their projects: 1) implement, expand, and establish cooperative efforts and projects among law enforcement officers, prosecutors, victim service providers, and other related parties to investigate and prosecute incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; 2) provide treatment, counseling, advocacy, legal assistance, and other long-term and short-term victim and population specific services to adult and minor victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in rural communities; 3) work in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies directed toward such issues; 4) develop, enlarge, or strengthen programs addressing sexual assault; and 5) develop programs and strategies that focus on the specific needs of victims of who reside in remote rural and geographically isolated areas. Through this continuation OVW rural program project, community council of idaho, in partnership with voices against violence, bingham crisis center, and advocates against family violence, will implement the bridging the gaps: coordinated legal and victim services in rural idaho and oregon communities project. This victim service project addresses the following purpose areas: 1 and 2 for 25 counties across rural idaho and eastern oregon. Specific activities will include: 1) obtaining legal accreditation in oregon; 2) hiring and training new staff; 3) providing legal services; 4) establishing human trafficking response task forces; 5) providing referrals to other social service providers; and 6) conducting training sessions for community organizations. During the project, the recipient will develop the following products: training materials and curriculum, post-training evaluation surveys, and outreach materials.