Expanding Access to Sexual Assault Forensic Examinations

Office of Justice Programs Response Center:
grants@ncjrs.gov
800.851.3420

This program provides funding to establish and/or expand sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) programs and sexual assault forensic examiner (SAFE) programs offering sexual assault medical forensic exams and sexual assault victim services in a hospital or non-hospital setting to sexual assault victims. Applicants may propose innovative ways of bringing experienced medical forensic examiners to rural, tribal, and underserved communities, such as using telehealth technology.

Program objectives include:

• Provide high-quality, comprehensive medical forensic exams and post-sexual assault care that promotes healing and reduces trauma
• Coordinate with a rape crisis center, victim service provider, and/or state sexual assault coalition to facilitate advocacy services that will support victims and survivors before, during, and after the examination process
• Increase the number and availability of SANEs/SAFEs by establishing a support network of SANE leaders that can develop or build a network of SANEs/SAFEs in the service areas that currently lack a comprehensive SANE response
• Improve access to training and clinical education that supports training needs, peer networking, mentoring, and retention of SANEs/SAFEs, and identify strategies that combat vicarious trauma and burnout
• Support the use of coordinated community responses to sexual assault

Eligible applicants include:

• State governments
• City, township, county, and special district governments
• Federally recognized tribal governments
• Tribal organizations
• Nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status
• Public, state controlled, and private institutions of higher education

Priority consideration will be given to applications that:

• Include a project that will promote racial equity and the removal of barriers to access and opportunity for communities that have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by inequality
• Are from culturally specific organizations whose primary purpose is to provide culturally specific services to Black/African American people, Hispanic and Latino/a/e people, Native American and other Indigenous peoples of North America (including Alaska Natives, Eskimos, and Aleuts), Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and/or Pacific Islanders

Award ceiling: $500,000
Project period: 3 years
Estimated number of awards: 4
Estimated total program funding: $2,000,000

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and the online application process are available through grants.gov.

Applicants should submit an SF-424 and an SF-LLL in grants.gov by April 20, 2023.

Submit the full application, including attachments, in the JustGrants grants management system by April 27, 2023.