Consortium TA Team COVID-19 Special Topic Series: Flexible Funding

Communities are finding that flexible funding (financial support provided to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault (DV/SA) and human trafficking) is an effective strategy to address the economic, housing and safety impacts of violence that are compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. This presentation will address how LifeWire, a King County, WA program, is meeting survivors' needs with flex funding coupled with advocacy while navigating the challenges social distancing can present. Advocates from the New York City's Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV) and their partner, Sanctuary for Families, will discuss how they are distributing flexible funds to directly support survivors in need across the city through funding provided by the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City’s COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund.

Presenters: 

• Shelby Lowrey-Lyonais, MA, Housing Stability Services Manager at LifeWire
• Jennifer L. DeCarli, Esq., LMSW, Assistant Commissioner for Family Justice Centers and Outreach at the Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence
• Jenise Jenkins, Director of Programs and Operations for the NYC Justice Centers at the Mayor's Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence

The special topic series is designed to give advocates a chance to learn more about the available housing funding for survivors, ask questions, process issues, and provide mutual support on the impact of the COVID-19 virus in safe housing programs.

Additional Resources:

• Closed Captions: DVHTAC COVID-19 Special Topic Series: Flexible Funding

• Webinar Slides: DVHTAC COVID-19 Special Topic Series: Flexible Funding

• WSCADV Flex Funding FAQ

• Federal Safe Housing Funding Chart