BISMARCK – The Consensus Council, in partnership with The Bush Foundation, has awarded eight grants to organizations in North Dakota through the Community Innovation Grant program. CAWS North Dakota received $10,000 for statewide resource planning.   Currently, there are 20 domestic violence and sexual assault crisis centers across North Dakota that provide services to all 53 counties and the four reservations. However, not all victims and survivors are able to access these services. Grant funds will be used to help CAWS North Dakota facilitate conversations in communities to help identify what victims need and want in order to be safe. Due to growing communities, especially in western North Dakota, crisis centers are continually asked to do more, often without additional funding. In order for these crisis centers to be sustainable in the future under these challenging circumstances, programs will be provided an opportunity to examine, rethink and modernize services.

During this year long project, CAWS North Dakota will work with a consultant to create a process for crisis centers to assess their services, generate the best way to deliver these services and determine the most effective approaches to operations. As a result, CAWS North Dakota will be able to identify key questions, help crisis center’s evaluate how best to meet the needs of victims and communities and develop a plan to modernize services.

“We are very excited about the opportunity that funding from the Bush Foundation offers. Many of our programs have been in operation for over 30 years and have expanded their services in response to the needs of survivors and communities. We rarely have an opportunity to reflect on the work we do and if we can find ways to improve our service delivery and accessibility for survivors,” said Janelle Moos, CAWS North Dakota’s Executive Director.  

Other grantees in North Dakota are as follows; from Bismarck–‐Mandan: Heart River Lutheran Church for the Bridges of Hope project, the ND Department of Health for Creating a Hunger–‐Free ND Coalition, and Charles Hall Youth Services for mentoring and academic tutoring of foster care children. From the Fargo area, grantees include the African Initiative for Progress for work with the immigrant community, and Theatre B, to use theatre as a tool to teach medical humanities. Additional grants were made to the Grand Forks Community Land Trust for their efforts toward home ownership for people of low and moderate income and to the Great Plains Institute (MN) for the Legacy Fund Initiative in North Dakota.

Nonprofit organizations and government entities of all sizes are eligible to apply for Community Innovation Grants from the Consensus Council ranging from $500 up to $10,000. The Community Innovation Grants support communities to use problem–‐solving processes that lead to more effective, equitable and sustainable solutions. The program is part of the Bush Foundation’s effort to support, inspire and reward community innovation.

ABOUT CAWS North Dakota: CAWS North Dakota is a nonprofit membership organization representing the 20 domestic violence and sexual assault crisis centers throughout the state. It is our mission to provide leadership and support in the identification, intervention, and prevention of sexual and domestic violence. CAWS North Dakota is a member of the National Network to End Domestic Violence. For more information, go to www.ndcaws.org.