Flexible Assistance for Survivors Pilot Program Launches
SACRAMENTO – The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) is announcing the release of a competitive funding opportunity to assist victims/survivors of crime. The new program, Flexible Assistance for Survivors Pilot (FA) Program, will make $47,500,000 available to California community-based organization applicants with a history of providing victim/survivor services.
The Competitive Funding Opportunity (CFO) application period is open until January 24, 2025.
To Apply : Grants Central System | California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
The Cal OES Victim Services Branch mission is to provide financial assistance and support to victim service providers to ensure all victims/survivors of crime in California receive the services they need. This includes:
- Creating programs that are trauma-informed, and victim-centered
- Providing timely technical assistance to grant sub-recipients.
- Ensuring California complies with all state and federal grant sub-award requirements.
Victimization is a frightening and unsettling experience. Its effects can be long-term and difficult to overcome. Victims/survivors not only suffer physically, psychologically, and financially from their victimization, but they are also burdened by the complexity of the criminal justice system, and a victim service structure that has limited financial resources to offer during the aftermath when a victim/survivor is most vulnerable and in need.
Assembly Bill (AB) 200, chaptered on June 29, 2022, created the FA Program to improve safety, healing, and financial stability for victims/survivors of crime, and for the loved ones of those violently injured or killed through the establishment of assistance funds to distribute in direct cash assistance. AB179, chaptered September 30, 2024, amends Government Code 8699 to allow organizations to distribute flexible cash assistance funds directly to a survivor, the parent or guardian of a survivor, or to a vendor, business, or another third party to pay for expenses or to purchase products on a survivor’s behalf.
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