(a) Establishment

The Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Violence Against Women Office ¹ (referred to in this section as the “Director”), shall make grants to eligible entities to enhance lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (referred to in this section as “LGBT”) specific services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.

(b) Purpose of program and grants

(1) General program purpose

The purpose of the program required by this section is to promote the following:

(A) The maintenance and replication of existing successful LGBT specific domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking community-based programs providing services and resources for LGBT victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

(B) The development of innovative LGBT specific strategies and projects to enhance access to services and resources for LGBT victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who face obstacles to using more traditional services and resources.

(2) Purposes for which grants may be used

The Director shall make grants to community-based programs for the purpose of enhancing LGBT specific services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Grants under the program shall support community-based efforts to address distinctive LGBT specific responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including—

(A) providing or enhancing services for LGBT victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, including services that address the safety, emotional well-being, economic, housing, legal and workplace needs of LGBT victims;

(B) supporting programs that specifically address underserved LGBT communities, including culturally specific communities, to provide specific resources and support for LGBT underserved victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;

(C) working in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies highlighting LGBT specific issues and resources regarding victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;

(D) conducting outreach activities to ensure that LGBT people who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault receive appropriate assistance;

(E) providing training for victim service providers, governmental agencies, courts, law enforcement and other first responders, and nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations serving the LGBT community about risk reduction, intervention, prevention, and the nature of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault;

(F) developing and implementing LGBT specific programming that focuses on victim autonomy, agency, and safety in order to provide resolution and restitution for the victim; and

(G) providing LGBT specific programs for the non-offending LGBT parents of children exposed to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

(3) Technical assistance and training

The Director shall provide technical assistance and training to grantees of this and other programs under this Act regarding the development and provision of effective LGBT specific community-based services by entering into cooperative agreements or contracts with an organization or organizations having a demonstrated expertise in and whose primary purpose is addressing the development and provision of LGBT specific community-based services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

(c) Eligible entities

Eligible entities for grants under this section include—

(1) community-based organizations, the primary purpose of which is providing LGBT specific services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; and

(2) community-based organizations, the primary purpose of which is providing LGBT specific services that can partner with a program having demonstrated expertise in serving victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and that agrees to receive technical assistance from a program with LGBT specific expertise.

(d) Reporting

The Director shall issue a biennial report on the distribution of funding under this section, the progress made in replicating and supporting increased services to LGBT victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and the types of LGBT specific programs, strategies, technical assistance, and training developed or enhanced through this program.

(e) Evaluation

The Director shall award a contract or cooperative agreement to evaluate programs under this section to an entity with the demonstrated expertise in and primary goal of providing enhanced access to services and resources for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking who face obstacles to using more traditional services and resources.

(f) Non-exclusivity

Nothing in this section shall be construed to exclude LGBT community-based organizations from applying to other grant programs authorized under this Act.

(g) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $8,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027, to remain available until expended.