First Nations Women's Alliance

First Nations Women's Alliance (FNWA) is a nationally recognized dual domestic violence and sexual assault Tribal Coalition serving North Dakota. Established as a 501(c)(3) organization in 2008, FNWA's mission is to strengthen tribal communities by creating safe environments and promoting healing from violence. The organization provides culturally relevant services and resources to six tribal nations and communities in North Dakota, including the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara Nation, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Spirit Lake Nation, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, and Trenton Indian Service Area. Through federal grant awards, FNWA supports a wide range of programs aimed at preventing and responding to domestic violence and sexual assault in Native American communities. These programs include increasing awareness of violence against Native women, enhancing coordination of responses at tribal, federal, and state levels, providing technical assistance to member organizations, and promoting policies to address violent crimes against Indian women.

FNWA has received over $2 million in federal grant funding, primarily from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Health and Human Services. Major awards include DOJ Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Formula Grants under the Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program, and a $500,000 DOJ Office for Victims of Crime Project Grant for a Developing Victim Specialists Project. The organization's work encompasses core operations, staffing, member services, prevention efforts focused on trafficking and sexual assault, and partnerships with Child Advocacy Centers. FNWA collaborates with the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services on sub-awards to implement culturally responsive prevention strategies and ensure continuity of domestic violence services during the COVID-19 pandemic under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. The organization also advances primary prevention efforts through partnerships with state agencies and implements projects such as the "Butterfly Project" and "Girls Societies" to promote culturally responsive prevention messaging within tribal communities. Additionally, FNWA is working to create a sustainable pool of direct service workers for remote tribal victim service programs and strengthen connections with tribal colleges as a workforce resource.