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News, Upcoming Trainings, Other Resources
September 2023
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Today is DV Counts Day!
Today community-based domestic violence programs across the country will conduct the Domestic Violence Counts Survey: a one-day, unduplicated count of adults and children seeking domestic violence services in the United States.
DV Counts is a rare opportunity to gather real-time data about services anti-violence agencies can and can't provide due to current funding limitations. Every year, it shows that there are survivors whose needs we cannot meet due to inadequate funding, and this data helps us advocate for more funding at the state and national levels.
Unfortunately, Colorado is anticipating at least a 40% cut to VOCA funds in 2026, so this year's DV Counts data will be more important than ever. Violence Free Colorado will use this data to help state legislators understand the dangerous impacts of future cuts as we lobby for sustainable funding and try to fill these gaps.
DV Counts is also a unique opportunity to gather data that doesn't rely on reports to law enforcement. We know that reporting to law enforcement is not a safe option for many survivors, so police data often underrepresents the rates of domestic violence in our communities. And, while DV Counts data also has its limitations, as not every survivor seeks community-based advocacy as a support either, this annual survey does add important nuance to existing statistics on domestic violence.
If you work at a domestic violence agency in Colorado and have questions about how to contribute your data from today to the DV Counts census, we're here to support! Please reach out to us.
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ReJeania Tolliver and Roshan Kalantar
Leadership Team
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Leadership Team
New Staff Updates
We're thrilled to welcome Ashley Bianchi (she, hers) as our new Economic Justice Specialist, and Jessica Diaz as our new Bilingual Training and Technical Assistance Specialist.
Ashley has a wide range of experience supporting survivors and knows the needs and nuances of anti-domestic violence programs well. Using her expertise in housing and economic justice, Ashley will help programs expand financial education and empowerment opportunities for survivors with specific focus on the ways that access to resources intersects with survivors’ identities. You can reach Ashley at abianchi@violencefreeco.org.
Jessica has extensive professional and lived experience as a bilingual advocate. Jessica will work with bilingual anti-domestic violence advocates state-wide to expand programming, resources, and accessibility to survivors who are often marginalized or ignored in primarily English-speaking programs. Jessica will also work with anti-domestic violence programs to create policies and protocols that foster safer, more supportive, and more equitable working environments for bilingual advocates. You can reach Jessica at jdiaz@violencefreeco.org.
We're excited to learn with and from Ashley and Jessica as their advocacy expands to our member programs across Colorado.
Support Malama Maui Domestic Violence Advocates and Staff
We've all seen the devastation left by fires on the island of Maui. Our staff stands with local anti-domestic violence programs and the Hawai’i State Coalition Against Domestic Violence as they continue to care for survivors after the fires.
As advocates, we know that domestic violence doesn’t stop during mass tragedies. Statistics show that incidents and severity of intimate partner violence often increase during community disasters. In these moments, domestic violence advocates are front line responders. Staff at local programs in Maui continue to work even as they deal with their own loss - of their homes, family members, and friends.
We invite you to join us in donating to Malama Maui Domestic Violence Advocates and Staff. Malama is an action word that means "to take care of, to tend, to nurture and protect." This fund is managed by the Hawai’i State Coalition and all donations go directly to domestic violence advocates and program staff.
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Brandy Walega and Miranda Encina
Training and Technical Assistance Team
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Training and TA TeamSeptember Facts & Snacks Webinar
12 p.m. Sept. 12
Title: Effective Communications Strategies: Navigating Media Relations with Survivors
Presenter: Lisa Winjum (she, her)
Lisa B. Winjum, JD, Director of Development and Communications at the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), has more than two decades of experience in strategic communications, fundraising, and public policy advocacy. Throughout her career in the nonprofit sector, Lisa has advised and coached survivors, advocates, CEOs, board members, and policy staff on testifying before legislative committees, public speaking engagements, and media interviews.
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Lindsay Christopher & Liz Kurko
Housing and Economic Justice Team
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Housing & EJ Team
Upcoming Housing Connection Opportunities
Monthly Housing and Advocate Virtual Support Group
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Sept. 6
Join these calls to share successes and challenges faced in your day-to-day work with survivors around housing and financial empowerment. Staff of all roles in domestic violence agencies (advocates, leadership positions, etc.) are welcome. Register here and reach out to Lindsay with any questions.
Monthly Flex Funding Call
1:30 p.m. Sept. 20
Join our monthly technical assistance call to support programs participating in the Domestic Violence Program (DVP) Flexible Funding Project. Our staff member Liz Kurko will provide project updates and information. Participants also have an opportunity to share experiences and support each other in their flex funding work. Contact Liz for more information and to sign up.
Housing Convening for Northwestern Colorado Programs
This two-day convening in late September will give domestic violence programs in northwestern Colorado and surrounding areas an opportunity to connect and share knowledge around housing and economic empowerment work with survivors. Reach out to Lindsay for dates, more information, and to ask about participation.
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Hannah Colter
Community Impact Specialist
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Online Events Calendar
Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) is just around the corner! If you're hosting a DVAM event, let us help you promote it by submitting to our events calendar. We'll share this calendar on social media leading up to and throughout October so that folks all across the state know about the work and awareness-raising programs are doing.
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Funding Opportunities to Expand Financial Coaching and Counseling Services in Colorado
The Colorado Department of Law's Office of Financial Empowerment announced that grant applications are being accepted for funding to support programs that expand access to free, individualized financial coaching and counseling services. Funds will support entities with programming seeking to serve any of the following priority areas: financial coaching and counseling service delivery; development of partnerships tools and resources; and training and certification programs. If your program provides these services to survivors, check to see if you're eligible!
Apply by 11:59 p.m. Oct. 3.
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ARP Funding Opportunity for Tribal Domestic Violence Programs and Shelters
The STTARS Indigenous Safe Housing Center of the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center has a unique funding opportunity for programs addressing housing and homelessness for survivors of gender-based violence. Pass-through ARP funds are available for Tribal domestic violence programs and shelters and Tribal not-for-profit organizations. Eligible programs can receive up to $15,000 per award and can reapply for additional funds. These funds will be used for COVID-19 mitigation activities (such as testing, PPE, staff-related needs, health and wellness supplies for advocates and survivors, and additional resources to specifically address COVID-19 impacts and ongoing advocate pandemic fatigue). Find more information or apply for these funds.
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Microgrant Funding Opportunity for Programming to Serve LGBTQ+ Survivors
The National LGBTQ Institute on Intimate Partner Violence is soliciting applications for a $15,000 microgrant to address the needs of LGBTQ domestic violence survivors as it relates to their access to support services and medical care. Proposal projects are not limited to one model of support service, intervention method, outreach strategy, or community-building project. However, proposals must include a component that directly connects LGBTQ domestic violence survivors to COVID-19 programs that will subsequently be used to inform best practices and strategies in this area. Additionally, microgrant recipients are expected to provide quarterly reports on how they are utilizing their microgrant. The following types of agencies are eligible: domestic violence programs, culturally specific programs, LGBTQ-specific programs, coalitions, health care providers, state programs, and tribal programs. The deadline for applications for the first of five microgrants is October 1. Questions? Contact Amanda Gould.
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Tech Safety - Tracker Detection
Google is now rolling out unknown tracker alerts on Android devices to alert users about hidden Apple AirTags. If an “unknown Bluetooth tracker is separated from its owner and is determined to be traveling with you,” an alert will appear. This feature may help stalking survivors identify if they are being tracked by someone using an Apple AirTag and how to disable/remove the tracker.
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