Blue Shield Against Violence
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Program Director
Bess Bendet
With almost 20 years of nonprofit and foundation experience, Ms. Bendet brings to the Foundation a deep commitment to gender equality, as well as years of experience designing and leading effective grantmaking and program strategies.
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Key Facts
Fact: One in four women will be a victim of domestic violence in her lifetime, and one in five adolescent girls reports being assaulted by someone she has dated.
From day one, Blue Shield of California Foundation has been committed to ending domestic violence in California. Such an ambitious goal requires us to be focused, strategic, and collaborative. It also requires resources.
As the largest private domestic violence funder in the state - investing more than $22 million since 2002 - our support has helped keep doors and phone lines open at 100-plus shelters and DV service providers that comprise our state's domestic violence safety net.
To solve this critical social problem, we must build a stronger, more coordinated network of domestic violence service providers. We must find new ways of reaching the highest-need populations and advance a unified policy agenda.
Blue Shield Against Violence aims to strengthen the domestic violence field in California through work focused on three goals:
1) Building a strong, coordinated network of domestic violence (DV) service providers through:
- Capacity-building and general operating funds that support and strengthen DV organizations
- Leadership development and training
- Grantmaking that connects disparate parts of the system and seeds collaboration
2) Catalyzing innovation and sharing new insights with the field by:
- Testing new solutions for reaching high-need populations and sharing what works
- Convening stakeholders to facilitate sharing of knowledge
3) Reframing policy discussions about domestic violence through:
- Convening unlikely collaborators to spark policy dialogue focused on the environment and social norms that lead to domestic violence
Grants awarded in 2008: 119
Totaling: $6,689,000
NOTE: Most Blue Shield of California Foundation grantmaking is by invitation only. Unsolicited requests for support are welcome for Foundation projects that pursue activities related to a limited number of program objectives.
For more information, please review the eligibility guidelines in our Grant Center.
Funding Examples
General Operating Support Initiative
We are one of a few funders offering general operating support to DV service providers, allowing organizations to use funds as they deem necessary. Since 2003, we have awarded over $7 million in general operating support to more than 100 service providers across California through this multi-year, invitation-only, grantmaking initiative. In 2008, we awarded $2.3 million to more than 100 organizations. The next cycle for this recurring two-year initiative will begin in 2010.
Capacity-Building Initiative
This year, we are adding a grantmaking initiative that will build the capacity of DV service providers. In late 2009, eligible organizations will be invited to apply for grants to strengthen technology infrastructure, support strategic planning efforts, or provide leadership or communications training.
Seed Collaboration and Coordination Across the DV Community
To weave a stronger safety net for DV survivors, the Foundation advocates for a more coordinated system and builds links among various stakeholders. We are helping to create a more effective, coordinated system through grantmaking that supports alliance building, service alignment, data sharing, and collaboration. The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests for support for projects that pursue related activities.
Leadership
Through foundation-sponsored events and convenings, we offer training for California's DV service providers to strengthen their organizations and leadership. This enables organizations to bolster resource bases and implement new programs, while continuing to serve as safe havens for survivors. It also helps organizations engage communities in essential prevention and policy advocacy.
Innovation
Each year, we identify and test one or two innovative solutions with a high-need, under-served population. Activities include convening, grantmaking, and scaling new models. This allows us to respond to emerging opportunities, test what works and share knowledge.
In 2009, we are concentrating on the highest-risk population teens - through two efforts designed to prevent teen dating violence: The BOM ("Boss of Me") campaign and "Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships," a partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Policy
We believe that a stronger DV field cannot be built without a unified statewide policy agenda that broadens the focus beyond victim services to the environment and social norms that lead to violence. In 2009, we will convene a diverse group of stakeholders to take a fresh look at California's DV policy and aim to break down the walls between intervention and prevention.
