FISA Foundation Announces New Grants to Advance Equity and Justice

FISA Foundation Announces New Grants to Advance Equity and Justice

FISA Foundation is proud to award more than $500,000 in grants to 21 nonprofit partners that are working to advance equity, inclusion, and justice for women, girls, and people with disabilities. Nearly half of this group of grantee partners includes organizations that are led by a person of color or person who identifies as having a disability, aligning with FISA’s commitment to support diverse leaders.

FISA is also particularly pleased that among this slate of grantees, there are 7 organizations working to address abuse of people with disabilities, a long-standing priority of the Foundation. “We know that people with disabilities experience abuse at alarming rates and are also less likely to receive support when they do. We are grateful that several of our grantee partners are working to educate, advocate and provide support to survivors with disabilities who have experienced abuse,” explained Kristy Trautmann, FISA’s executive director.
Grants that address abuse of people with disabilities include:

  • $20,000 to Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for advocacy for children with disabilities who have been abused or neglected.
  • $25,000 in general operating support to East Suburban Citizen Advocacy for its advocacy efforts particularly related to abuse and neglect of people with disabilities.
  • $25,000 to Disability Rights PA to monitor nursing facilities to ensure that people with disabilities are not abused nor unnecessarily institutionalized.
  • $10,000 to HAVIN (Helping All Victims in Need) for an initiative to train first responders on better supporting people with disabilities and to provide healthy relationship and abuse prevention workshops for individuals with disabilities.
  • $20,000 to InVision Human Services for the Signals Program, a comprehensive treatment program for people with intellectual disabilities who have exhibited problematic sexual behaviors and have offending histories.
  • $25,755 to SPHS C.A.R. E. Center STTARS (Sexual Trauma Treatment and Recovery Services) Program for sexuality education and abuse prevention programming for people with disabilities.
  • $25,000 to PublicSource for a journalism series addressing sexual violence on college campuses including students with disabilities.

Additional Grants advancing rights and opportunities for people with disabilities

  • $10,000 to City of Asylum for an American Sign Language poetry and storytelling slam.
  • $25,000 to Center for Hearing and Deaf Services for a marketing, education, and outreach initiative.
  • $25,000 in general operating support to the Youth Advocacy Clinic at Duquesne University School of Law to provide legal advocacy for students of color with disabilities.
  • $24,965 to Jewish Family and Community Services for an advocacy initiative for immigrants with disabilities who are wrongly denied U.S. citizenship.
  • $20,000 to Mainstay Life Services to support technology initiatives that promote wellness, safety, and independence for adults with intellectual disabilities living in the community.
  • $20,000 to Neighborhood Allies to support efforts that create wealth building opportunities for African American families that have children with disabilities.
  • $11,866 to Imagine Different Coalition (via fiduciary PEAL Center) for a project to expand family living options for children with disabilities in Allegheny County.
  • $25,000 in operating support to Pittsburghers for Public Transit for its work that integrates disability justice into advocacy for accessible public transit.
  • $45,000 in operating support to Pennsylvania Health Law Project to advocate for the healthcare needs of people with disabilities in southwest PA.

Grants that benefit women and girls:

  • $50,000 to Allegheny County Department of Human Services to support an intimate partner violence project coordinator to support county reform efforts.
  • $9,000 to Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA to support a website redesign to increase accessibility
  • $55,000 to East End Cooperative Ministry for the Girls Life Program, a prevention, intervention, and growth program for girls in living in East End neighborhoods.
  • $25,000 to The Midwife Center for Birth and Women’s Health to implement a diversity, equity, and inclusion plan to better serve women of color and women with disabilities.
  • $90,000 over two years in general operating support to Pennsylvania Organization for Women in Early Recovery (POWER).

You can find more information on FISA’s priorities and how to submit a letter of inquiry on FISA’s website.

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