Upcoming events, webinars, and news from the field
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Dear MAC Members and Allies,
As spring finally starts to show itself in the Twin Cities I am reminded of the Mary Oliver poem Don't Hesitate:
If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often kind. And much can never be redeemed. Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back, that sometimes something happens better than all the riches or power in the world. It could be anything, but very likely you notice it in the instant when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.
Please take care of yourselves, and remember do not hesitate to feel joy.
Take care,
Becca
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Save the date for the next Sexual Violence Prevention Network Meeting on June 18th. The meeting will be in the Twin Cities metro area.
From our partners at the Minnesota Department of Health:
My name is Sophia Maceda and I work with the Minnesota Department of Health on ourHuman Trafficking Prevention and Response Team. Are you familiar with our work? Through our Safe Harbor Program, we fund prevention and response services for youth through age 24 who are at risk or have experienced sexual exploitation and sex trafficking.
I am reaching out to you today to share information about a research study relevant to youth serving agencies and advocates in our state:Project ImPACT.
This project is led by researchers from the University of Minnesota (Dr. Lauren Martin) and the University of New Hampshire (Dr. Lisa Jones). This study offers an opportunity for us to understand if theNot a Number curriculum, which is currently being implemented across our state and has been delivered to over 3,000 MN youth, is working to prevent sexual exploitation and sex trafficking.
We are currently reaching out to providers who work with youth in Minnesota, specifically between the ages of 13 – 18, to invite them to learn more about participating in the research.
Participating sites would help identify at least 10 eligible youth to participate, provide a space where Not a Number group sessions can be held, and support the youth/parent consent process. Sites that join are randomly assigned to either:
an implementation group, which offers the Not a Number curriculum within the first couple of months, or
a control group, which participates in the surveys first and implements the curriculum later.
Youth who enroll would complete brief online surveys over the course of the study and receive gift cards for each completed survey. The study also provides a Not a Number facilitator, offers a stipend to participating sites, and creates an opportunity for staff certification in the curriculum.
This is an online training webinar catered to victim service professionals working with families of missing persons. Attendees will hear from representatives of the Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls Office, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office, and the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center. This training is designed to inform victim service professionals on best practices and cultural considerations while working with families of missing Black women and girls, Indigenous persons, and children. This training will emphasize culturally responsive advocacy and factors that uniquely impact these communities.
This webinar is free for all to attend. The webinar will be recorded and the recording will be made available exclusively for MAC members.
**Looking for a webinar like this but specific to Minnesota advocates? MAC hosted a training like this during our most recent Fundamentals in Victim Services 201. MAC members have access to the recording on the MAC member page.
The National Organization for Victim Advocacy (NOVA) and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) are hosting a 3-day intensive online academy on Child and Family Advocacy. June 2-4, 9am-4pm CT. $300 for non-NOVA members.
Check out more of NOVA's trainings in their training center.
OJP is hosting their annual Conference on Crime and Victimization on June 3rd and 4th. The conference will be held in the greater metro area.
The Stearns County Attorney's Office is hosting an in-person two-day training on Intimate Partner Violence Prosecution. Location: Waite Park, MN. September 22-23. Cost: $300. Lodging available at a group rate at the Hilton Garden Inn in St. Cloud.
Job Opportunities:
MNCASA hosts a job board for advocacy positionshere.
The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota is hiring a number of positions. Learn more here.
Upcoming Grant Opportunities:
RedRover offers Safe Housing grants of up to $60,000 to help organizations create pet housing programs. Applications are reviewed three times per year: March 1, June 1, and September 1. More information, including eligibility and sample budgets: 👉 RedRover.org/SafeHousing
Boreal Waters Community Foundation: Community Opportunity Fund
Boreal Waters’ Community Opportunity Fundsupports bold ideas, local leadership, and long-term solutions across northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. The fund connects regional generosity with community-driven impact.
Blandin Foundation: Rural Funding Resources
Beyond its own grantmaking, theBlandin Foundationoffers one of the most comprehensiverural funding directoriesin Minnesota. Organizations can use its maps and interest area tools to identify additional funders working in their communities. It’s the best rural funding directory available in Minnesota.
Headwaters Foundation for Justice: Justice & Liberation Fund
Headwaters and Black Visionsare distributing $500,000 in direct support to Black Minnesotans through emergency, no-repayment grants. This fund prioritizes immediate community needs across the state.
ReFund: Recoverable Grants for Government-Funded Nonprofits
ReFundprovides upfront, zero-cost recoverable grants to nonprofits awaiting reimbursement from government contracts. This model helps organizations manage cash flow while continuing program delivery.
MAC is a membership coalition of more than 90 crime victim service providers in Minnesota, including prosecution-based victim/witness programs, community programs, law enforcement agencies, and individuals committed to supporting crime victims. We support our membership through training, technical assistance, resources, public policy and legislative initiatives, and networking opportunities.
To join our coalition of Minnesota crime victim service programs,click here.
Want to share something in next month's newsletter? Email Becca!
The Minnesota Alliance on Crime advances a collective movement to eliminate the systemic barriers experienced by people impacted by crime.
VISION
The Minnesota Alliance on Crime envisions a world where people impacted by crime, particularly those who are historically marginalized, can heal, achieve justice, and restore balance to their lives.
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