Grants for Domestic Violence

Domestic violence affects Americans in all communities, regardless of age, economic status, race, religion, nationality or educational background. The National Institute of Justice reports that 1 in 4 women experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Although some men do experience violence, in 2001, 85% of victims of domestic violence were women, while in 2000, 1,247 women were killed by an intimate partner, as opposed to 440 men in the same time period.

Domestic violence impacts not only the victim, but her family, environment and future generations. Between 3.3 million and 10 million American children witness domestic violence annually; these children display emotional and behavioral disturbances such as withdrawal, low self esteem, nightmares, and aggression, and are more likely to attempt suicide, abuse drugs and alcohol, run away from home, and engage in teenage prostitution. Further, the long-term effect of this problem cannot be ignored: studies show that children who witness domestic violence are more likely to perpetuate the cycle of violence in their own relationships, and that men who witnessed domestic violence in their childhoods are twice as likely to abuse their own partners and children. It is not surprising that a large number of grants for domestic violence are given each year for assistance and counseling to the children and families of victims.

The pervasive nature and seriousness of the crime of domestic violence is apparent. The cost of intimate partner violence annually exceeds $5.8 billion, including $4.1 billion in direct health care expenses, $900 million in lost productivity and $900 million in lifetime earnings. It is estimated that domestic violence costs US employers $3-13 billion each year. Medical professionals are also beginning to acknowledge domestic violence as a public health issue. Victims of domestic violence account for 22-35% of all women seeking emergency medical care, and an estimated $150 million is spent annually on medical expenses resulting from domestic violence injuries.

Organizations specializing in the research and advocacy of this important issue include the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, The National Domestic Violence Hotline, and the Family Violence Prevention Fund.

In 2006, foundations that awarded the largest grants for domestic violence included the Starr Foundation of New York, the William Penn Foundation and the William Randolph Hearst Foundation of New York, The Minneapolis Foundation, the California Endowment and the Ford Foundation. Corporate grants for domestic violence are annually awarded by companies such as Avon, American Express, Western Union, UPS, Sara Lee, and Verizon. Grants for domestic violence typically are given for the building of shelters, phone equipment for hotlines, salaries of trained counselors and therapists, as well as for general operating support and program development.

The above article was written by Saadia Faruqi, author of Best Practices in Grant Seeking: Beyond the Proposal. Saadia has more than 10 years of grant writing and development experience in the nonprofit sector, including at-risk youth, women’s health, domestic violence, science education, adult and family literacy, and the arts. Prior to starting her own grant writing firm, she worked as Grants Administrator at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Houston. For more information about Saadia visit her blog Grantwriters Zone.