Hawaii Coalition Against Sexual Assault

Hawaii Coalition Against Sexual Assault (HCASA) is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization based in Honolulu that serves as Hawaii's designated state coalition addressing violence against women. Since its registration in the federal System for Award Management (SAM.gov) in May 2009, HCASA has established itself as a critical partner to the U.S. Department of Justice in coordinating victim services and promoting systemic responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking throughout the state. Through its federal grant awards, HCASA provides coordination, advocacy, training, and technical assistance services designed to strengthen the network of organizations and agencies working to prevent gender-based violence and support survivors.

HCASA has received four consecutive Formula Grant awards from the Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) under the State Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program (CFDA 16.556), demonstrating sustained federal recognition of its work. These grants, spanning from fiscal year 2021 through 2026, have provided funding ranging from $172,076 to $243,213 annually. Through these awards, HCASA coordinates victim services activities across Hawaii, collaborates with federal, state, and local entities engaged in violence against women prevention and response, provides training and technical assistance to member organizations, develops and enhances appropriate standards of services for member programs including culturally appropriate services for underserved populations, conducts statewide and community-based meetings and workshops for victim advocates and survivors, monitors and plans the distribution of grant funds to local programs, and works with local sexual assault programs and law enforcement to encourage appropriate institutional responses to sexual assault cases. Additionally, HCASA designs and implements public education campaigns, works with courts and child protective services on custody and visitation issues related to sexual assault, and engages in coalition-building activities at local and state levels while informing policy development at federal and state levels to reduce sexual assault and domestic violence.