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 Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity, Inc. (doing business as Addison Community Action) $549,602 under the Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program (CFDA 16.589) on October 1, 2025. This is a continuation award, with performance through September 30, 2028.

The source describes the Rural Program's eligibility criteria and permissible strategies but does not specify the particular products, services, or activities this recipient will deliver with the funding. The program authorizes grantees to identify and respond to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in rural communities; establish and expand victim services; increase safety and well-being through direct intervention and prevention awareness; and develop or improve sexual assault forensic medical examination or nurse examiner programs. Grantees must implement at least one of five strategies, including cooperative law enforcement and prosecution efforts, treatment and counseling services, community-based prevention education, sexual assault program development, or services targeted to victims in remote or geographically isolated rural areas.

Performance occurs in Burlington, Vermont. Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity is a nonprofit based in Vermont that delivers federal grant-funded social services addressing domestic violence, housing, and family support across the state, in partnership with state and local agencies.

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, champlain valley office of economic opportunity, INC./voices against violence, in partnership with ST. Albans police department, swanton police department, northwest unit of special investigation, grand isle state's attorney, franklin county state's attorney, vermont state police, grand isle sheriff department, vermont legal aid, swanton recreation commission and the cafe - enosburg youth center will implement franklin/grand isle rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence and stalking program. This victim service, law enforcement, and prosecution project addresses the following purpose areas: 1, 2, and 3 for franklin and grand isle counties in vermont. Specific activities will include: 1) providing expeditious, trauma informed, and effective investigation and advocacy on behalf of sexual, domestic, dating violence, stalking and child sexual abuse offenses against victims; 2) providing direct support services and advocacy to victims experiencing or being affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking; and 3) increasing prevention efforts and improve coordinated community response to rural victims of domestic violence ,sexual assault, dating violence and stalking.