Family Violence Initiative

Overview

The Family Violence Initiative supports of the development, implementation, testing and assessment of models, strategies and tools to improve the justice system's response to family violence. It also supports projects that raise public awareness of the issue and encourage public involvement in responding to family violence.

The Family Violence Initiative funds projects that develop long-term programming, build on lessons learned and support the Department's family violence policy directions. To accomplish this, the Initiative:

• works with other levels of government, non-governmental organizations, front-line services and members of the public in broad-based partnerships;
• supports partnerships to implement projects to reduce family violence; and
• analyzes the results of these projects and disseminates information about project results and lessons learned.

Who is eligible?

• National, provincial, municipal, regional, Aboriginal, community or professional not-for-profit organizations;
• Provincial, territorial, regional and municipal governments;
• Canadian institutions/boards of education;
• Bands, tribal councils, self-governing First Nations and Inuit.

Objectives

The objectives are:

• To enhance knowledge, promote development and inform Canadians and the legal community about family violence issues;
• To promote access to justice, equality and human rights in Canada by supporting:
  • consultations, research and partnerships
  • development and distribution of information
  • development, testing and implementation of new cost-effective, multidisciplinary approaches, models and pilot projects on the administration and delivery of services, to victims of family violence
• To promote the development and implementation of legislative and socio-legal reforms
• To support the development, testing and implementation of program options, new and multi-disciplinary approaches and models for community involvement and protection from family violence

Activities/Projects

Funding may be available to organizations that want to conduct pilot projects to develop, test and assess models, strategies and tools to improve the justice system's response to family violence. Funding may also be provided to support Public Legal Education and Information (PLEI) projects to promote public access to family violence information, promote public awareness of the factors contributing to family violence, and advance public involvement in the responses to family violence.

Note: All projects must be short term.

The types of pilot projects and activities that could be funded include:

• assessment of the response of the criminal justice system and professionals to family violence
• development of new strategies, models and tools to improve service/program delivery to family violence victims in crisis
• development and implementation of support for child victims/witnesses of family violence in the criminal justice process
• development of family violence resource tools for service providers, including those in some hard-to-reach communities such as rural and Aboriginal communities
• development of information, strategies and tools for easier access to services relating to family violence to meet the needs of vulnerable groups, such as older adults, people with disabilities and immigrants, etc.

PLEI activities that could be funded include:

• development of information materials and information sessions related to family violence addressing PLEI needs of vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities
• revision, reprint and distribution of existing PLEI materials
• assessment of PLEI materials and activities in the area of family violence
• updating and translation of family violence PLEI materials into more languages

How to Apply for Funding

To apply for funding, please fill out the Funding Application Form.

Official Languages

In support of Section 41 of the Official Languages Act, the Department is committed to facilitate the participation of official language minority communities and their organizations in the development and assessment of the Department's policies, programs and services having significant impact on the development of the communities; and to take measures to ensure that the Department of Justice's programs and services reach official language minority communities. In the context of project funding, these measures include:

• outreach to official language minority communities to enhance their understanding of the Department of Justice funding programs; and
• encouraging contacts between organizations that are receiving financial assistance and official language minority organizations/groups to ensure that the needs of these communities are taken into consideration in relation to the proposed projects to be considered for Department of Justice Canada funding.

Sustainable Development

The Department of Justice encourages you to submit proposals electronically. If you submit your application on paper, please consider printing on both sides of the paper. These actions will minimize environmental impacts.

Publications and Resources

Contribution Funds for Non-Governmental Organizations, a Handbook
We designed this guide as a reference tool to help you better understand and comply with the financial requirements described in contribution agreements. We recommended that you review this handbook if you receive funding for your project.

Contact Information

Department of Justice Canada
Programs Branch
284 Wellington Street, 6th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario
CANADA
K1A 0H8
Telephone: 613 941-4193
Fax: 613 941-2269
E-mail: pb-dgp@justice.gc.ca