The tribal sexual assault services program (tsasp), is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 12511(e)

The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded Strong Hearted Native Women's Coalition, Incorporated (SHNWC) $540,000 on January 1, 2026, under the Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program (CFDA 16.024) to enhance sexual assault survivor services in tribal communities.

SHNWC will use the funding to expand victim accompaniment and advocacy, transportation assistance, emergency assistance, counseling, and referral services for sexual assault survivors, their non-offending family and household members, and those collaterally affected by sexual assault within tribal communities in California. The award supports projects that create, maintain, and expand sustainable sexual assault services provided by tribes and tribal organizations within Indian Country and Alaska Native villages.

The recipient, a tribal nonprofit organization based in Escondido, California, serves 34 Native American reservations across five Southern California counties, including Kumeyaay, Iipay, Luiseno, Cahuilla, Kupa, Serrano, Chumash, Chemehuevi, Quechan, and Mohave communities. Performance will occur in Valley Center, California. The period of performance runs from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028. This is a new award.

IT is one of five grant programs funded within the sexual assault services program (sasp). Sasp was created by the violence against women and department of justice reauthorization act of 2005 (vawa 2005) and is the first federal funding stream dedicated solely to the provision of direct intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault. Overall, the purpose of sasp is to provide intervention, advocacy, accompaniment (e.g., accompanying victims to court, medical facilities, police departments), support services, and related assistance for adult, youth, and child victims of sexual assault, non-offending family and household members of victims, and those collaterally affected by the sexual assault. Tsasp supports projects to create, maintain, and expand sustainable sexual assault services provided by tribes, tribal organizations, and nonprofit tribal organizations within indian country and alaska native villages. Strong hearted native women's coalition, INC. (shnwc) is a tribal non-profit organization that raises awareness and provides technical assistance, training, and supportive services to victims of against sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, SEX-trafficking, and murdered & missing persons within tribal communities in california. With this funding, shnwc will enhance sexual assault survivor safety, stability and increase survivor access to essential support (victim accompaniment and advocacy, transportation, emergency assistance, counseling and referral services). This is a new award.