Domestic Violence Assistance Fund

Project Description

The Domestic Violence Assistance Fund will provide flexible financial assistance to survivors of domestic violence via grants to not-for-profit community-based organizations that serve this population. Flexible funding for domestic violence survivors has been described by both survivors and service providers as “lifesaving.” Survivors can use flexible funding to cover basic needs to successfully leave abusive situations and seek stability by covering costs for housing, transportation, childcare, utilities, and other needs. Recipient organizations may also use a limited portion of the funds to build organizational capacity to address unmet needs of survivors.

In 2020, Harris County funded, and the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council (HCDVCC) administered, the Domestic Violence Assistance Fund; this proposal builds on the successes of the 2020 program.

PRIMARY PARTNERSHIPS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

HCDVCC will collaborate with the Center for Violence Prevention to continue work to survey the community and the recipients of funding to evaluate the project and learn how to best serve the community. Strategic outreach in underserved communities is critical for increasing safety for survivors and HCDVCC will work to ensure that service providers who have community relationships in Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities are part of the sub recipients for funding—some of which may not be viewed as traditional domestic violence assistance organizations.

TARGET IMPACT

Primary metrics to be tracked include:

  • Number of households served
  • Total dollars spent
  • Number of community-based partnerships established
  • Number of clients receiving rental assistance
  • Number of clients receiving hotel assistance
  • Number of clients receiving childcare assistance
  • Number of clients receiving transportation assistance
  • Number of clients receiving utility payment assistance
  • Number of clients receiving daily living need assistance
  • Average $ per household/client
  • Number of clients receiving legal services
  • Number of clients receiving other safety/security assistance

WEBSITE LINK

USE OF EVIDENCE & PROGRAM EVALUATIONS

The Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council collaborates with a third-party evaluator to determine effectiveness and efficiency of program disbursements, neurofeedback, and DV community outreach.