FRANKFORT, Ky. - On Friday, Attorney General Andy Beshear invited Kentucky nonprofits and public agencies that can offer effective programs to combat child sexual abuse to apply for Child Victims’ Trust Fund grants.
The trust fund’s prevention activities and child advocacy programs are funded through private donations, proceeds from the purchase of
“I Care About Kids” license plates and donations made through the state income tax refund check-off program.
Applications for statewide and regional prevention grants are accepted until March 30, 2018. The grants will be awarded for fiscal year 2019, which begins July 1, 2018, and ends June 30, 2019.
The mission of the Child Victims’ Trust Fund is to provide financial support to help reduce the incidence and impact of child sexual abuse in Kentucky.
“The need is real,” said Beshear. “Far too many of Kentucky’s children are at risk and by funding child abuse prevention and supporting survivors of child abuse we are truly building a better, safer Kentucky for our children.”
Beshear said every donation to the trust fund goes directly toward fighting child abuse in Kentucky and thanks those who have supported the cause, including a Northern Kentucky man who recently donated his lifesavings to help protect Kentucky’s children.
Over the past two years, the Child Victims’ Trust Fund has provided $260,000 to support statewide and regional child abuse prevention programs and organizations.
More than $160,000 in funding also went to support the state’s Children’s Advocacy Centers, helping pay the costs of hundreds of child sexual abuse medical exams.
The trust fund also supported the training of more than 1,200 prosecutors, social workers and community advocates on how to protect Kentucky’s children from sexual abuse.
Annually, the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Board, within the Office of the Attorney General, announces the availability of Child Victims’ Trust Fund grants and selects recipients.
Based on geographical impact, nonprofit organizations and public agencies that work toward reducing child sexual abuse and exploitation are eligible to apply for two types of grant opportunities.
A statewide prevention grant is available to organizations and agencies that offer a prevention program in all regions of Kentucky. A regional prevention grant is reserved for those who offer programs that are not conducted statewide.
Created in 1984, the fund supports organizations with educational and promotional programs that help inform Kentuckians on how to identify and report the crime and how to access preventative resources in each community.
The trust fund’s prevention activities and child advocacy programs are funded through private donations, proceeds from the purchase of “I Care About Kids” license plates and donations made through the state income tax refund check-off program.
Currently trainings are being conducted in partnership with Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky to help youth-serving organizations like daycares, summer camps and churches to evaluate their programs and implement an action plan that will strengthen protocols and policies to safeguard children from sexual abuse.
Since taking office, Beshear has made protecting children from abuse one of the top priories for his office. Over the past two-years, the number of arrests, indictments and convictions by Beshear’s cyber investigators has reached historic levels, totaling more than 145.
Beshear reminds Kentuckians that everyone has a moral and legal duty to report any instance of child abuse to local law enforcement or to Kentucky’s Child Abuse hotline at 877-597-2331 or 877-KYSAFE1.
For grant application details, or to donate to the Child Victims’ Trust Fund, visit https://icareaboutkids.ky.gov/.
