Epidemic of Violence: Missing and Murdered Women of Color

There is an epidemic of violence against women, girls, transgender and gender non-binary people of color; many have experienced harm, gone missing or been murdered across the U.S. and in the Chicago region.

About

The perpetual invisibility of the lives of women and girls in our communities experiencing gender-basedviolence is why CFW has a dedicated grant program focused on supporting community solutions, interventions, and deeper interrogations to understand the root causes of this on-going epidemic. We believe this is of great importance and we are extending our voice and dollars to draw sustained attention and resources to this issue.

Epidemic of Violence: Missing and Murdered Women of Color focuses on program and general operating support grants supporting community solutions, interventions, and deeper interrogations to understand the root causes of this on-going epidemic New and renewal applications for the Epidemic of Violence: Missing and Murdered Women of Color are considered as a part of CFW’s spring grant review.

Please see the How to Apply page for guidelines and due dates.

Since 2020, CFW has invested in 10 community organizations and by FY25 will have invested over half a million dollars to elevate and address this epidemic. CFW grantees report impacted over 400,000 people with their services, organizing and narrative change work in 2024.

We Invest In

Grassroots and community-based approaches, for example: restorative practices, community- and survivor-centered initiatives, and community organizing.
Interventions across the prevention continuum, particularly “upstream” ideas that look at shifting social cultures and norms not only of individuals and communities, but also practices of institutions and systems in ways that are more equitable across gender and race. These can include strategies that involve men and boys.
An intersectional approach which reframes gender-based violence not as an issue in isolation, but as one that integrates social, health, economic, and community forces and assets as integral to defining solutions.
Approaches to innovatively elevate and spotlight the on-going epidemic of gender-based violence in our communities. These approaches can include research, communications/media strategies, and community organizing.