The Bellingham-Whatcom County Commission Against Domestic Violence (DV Commission) recently received two federal grants totaling nearly $1 million from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women to enhance community response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

The DV Commission, in partnership with the city of Bellingham, received its fourth consecutive award from the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (GTEA). This grant will be for two years and totals $387,218.

The DV Commission, in partnership with the Ferndale School District, received an award from the Service, Polices, Education, and Training to Reduce Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking in Secondary Schools Program (STEP). This grant will be for three years and totals $549,371.

2011 was the first time that the Office on Violence Against Women offered this grant opportunity, and the Ferndale School District will be one of only 10 sites nationwide to be implementing the pilot projects in their middle and high schools.

These grants will allow the DV Commission and its partners to move forward in our efforts to fully respond to and end domestic violence. The grant awards will provide funding to DV Commission staff to implement these projects, as well as to provide financial support to partner agencies including law enforcement, prosecution, and victim services.