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 The Next Step Domestic Violence Project Inc. $500,000 under the Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program (CFDA 16.589) on October 1, 2025.

The award funds a coordinated community response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in rural Maine. The Next Step Domestic Violence Project Inc., in partnership with the Hancock County Sheriff's Office and Northern Light Hospital, will deliver victim services including treatment, counseling, advocacy, and legal assistance to adult and minor victims in the Ellsworth, Maine area. The project supports cooperative efforts among law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim service providers to investigate and prosecute violence-related crimes and implements education and prevention strategies directed toward these issues in remote rural and geographically isolated communities.

The period of performance runs from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2028. Place of performance is Ellsworth, ME 04605. The assistance type is a Project Grant.

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 new OVW rural program project, next step domestic violence project, in partnership with hancock county sheriffs office, northern light hospital, and machias police department, will implement the project collaboration for survivor safety in rural down-east maine program. This victim service project addresses the following purpose areas: 1, 2, and 3 for washington and hancock counties in maine. Specific activities will include: 1) expanding a multidisciplinary team to include domestic violence advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors, jail administration, hospital personnel, and other healthcare providers; 2) adding two new domestic violence advocate positions to liaise with victims, law enforcement, and healthcare personnel; support survivors during forensic exams and medical appointments; and provide immediate follow-up and connections to other services; and 3) providing training law enforcement to recognize and respond appropriately in cases of non-fatal strangulation.