Financial Assistance to Host National Victims of Crime Awareness Week Events
Funding Information Sheet
National Victims of Crime Awareness Week (NVCAW) is an annual outreach initiative of the Department of Justice Canada Policy Centre for Victim Issues (PCVI). PCVI works towards improving the experience of victims of crime in the criminal justice system by pursuing a range of activities and initiatives.
The next NVCAW will take place from April 18 to 24, 2010. The theme for NVCAW 2010 is "Every Victim Matters". This theme recognizes:
- That every victim of crime - no matter who they are, where they live or the way in which they were victimized - should be treated with compassion and respect for their dignity.
- That victims of crime have a role in Canada's justice system and there are laws, policies and programs which give them an opportunity to participate and have their voices heard at different stages in the criminal justice process.
- The dedication of professionals and volunteers alike who work tirelessly and selflessly with victims of crime and their families and who show, in their daily actions, that every victim truly does matter.
The key goal of NVCAW is to raise awareness about the issues facing victims of crime and about the services, assistance and laws in place to help victims and their families. The Week also acknowledges the work of victim service providers and their dedication to assisting victims of crime and their families.
Limited funding (up to $10,000 per project) will be available from the Department of Justice Canada Victims Fund for projects that support the goals of NVCAW. These projects include those aimed at supporting events within communities or other activities during NVCAW that raise public awareness about victim issues.
Some examples of events and activities that could be organized during NVCAW include:
- Workshop or information sessions on victim issues or relevant topics;
- Public awareness events (e.g. BBQ; community walk; information kiosk; etc.);
- Production of promotional items for your organization for use during NVCAW;
- Public information flyers/brochures/pamphlets on victim issues and/or available services to victims and their families;
- Training for justice system professionals on victim-related issues and/or needs;
- Special issue of a newsletter dedicated to NVCAW; and,
- Radio, newspaper or television ads promoting NVCAW and/or providing information on victim services.
For more event ideas and organization tips, you can consult the archived Resource Guide for NVCAW 2009 online at http://www.victimsweek.gc.ca. The Resource Guide for NVCAW 2010 should be available by the end of December 2009.
Applying for NVCAW funding
To apply for funding, please submit a proposal using the NVCAW 2010 Funding Application Form. Your proposal must clearly describe how the activity will help support the objectives of the Victims Fund and the goals of NVCAW.
The maximum amount of funding that can be provided by the Department of Justice Canada for each proposed project cannot exceed $10,000. Given limited resources, and to ensure that many communities and organizations are supported, only one project per applicant will be given funding consideration.
The federal government fiscal year starts on April 1 of a given year and ends March 31 the following year. Funding for NVCAW 2010 projects will be available up to March 31, 2010 for planning and organizing activities prior to the Week itself, as well as from April 1, 2010 to May 7, 2010 for hosting/supporting an event during the Week. In other words, funding that spans two fiscal years is being made available in order to give applicants some flexibility in planning/organizing prior to hosting events during NVCAW. The maximum amount of funding that can be provided by the Department of Justice Canada, whether or not it spans more than one fiscal year, is $10,000.
Due to the growing number of applications, the deadline for submitting applications has been advanced this year. The new deadline to submit your funding application is November 1, 2009. We regret any inconvenience this change may cause. Applications will only be accepted up to this date. As funding is limited each year, not all eligible applications can be approved.
Here are few helpful links/documents that outline funding guidelines and provide funding related information:
