Giving Compass' Take:
- Jasmine Mithani reports on the new stricter conditions for grants assisting domestic violence survivors and how domestic violence prevention groups are navigating this change.
- What are the root causes of these revised conditions possibly making it more difficult for organizations supporting survivors of color and LGBTQ+ survivors to receive funding?
- Learn more about key gender equity issues and how you can help.
- Search our Guide to Good for nonprofits focused on gender equity in your area.
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The Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women released new grant opportunities after deleting a previous set of them in February and telling organizations to halt their applications. The grants include new priorities and many more restrictions on how funding may be used by domestic violence prevention groups, requiring potential grantees to adhere to President Donald Trump’s executive orders banning federal funds being used for “illegal diversity, equity and inclusion” or what he terms “gender ideology.”
The changes will likely make it more difficult for organizations that focus their services on victims of color, LGBTQ+ survivors or immigrants to apply for grants.
On February 6, the eight grant opportunities for domestic violence prevention groups listed on the OVW website were removed and replaced with a message indicating the applications were under revision. There had been no updates on funding notices until May 7, well after the original grant application deadlines.
Three months later, six new grant opportunities appeared. Only two were for grants originally taken down in February. The Department of Justice did not reply to a request for comment on whether the other grants would be re-listed and whether the Office on Violence Against Women was on track to distribute funds for this financial year.
The new notices come after over 100 House members sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi expressing concerns about funding for domestic violence programs. Over 600 organizations signed a separate letter to Bondi asking her to commit to the work of the Office on Violence Against Women and distribute “authorized, appropriated federal funding.” Several organizations that provide services to victims of domestic violence have been urging the public to write to their representatives about funding.
All have a new section stating the office will prioritize applications that “substantively address” measures to “combat human trafficking and transnational crime, particularly crimes linked to illegal immigration and cartel operations” or that seek to provide victims services or improve law enforcement response in rural areas, tribal nations and small towns will be prioritized.
Read the full article about grants to assist domestic violence survivors by Jasmine Mithani at The 19th.