Building Healthy Futures Fund
Virginia’s Sexual and Domestic Violence Advocacy Agencies are engaged in a wide variety of prevention efforts across the state—and they are struggling to fund those initiatives. The priority for public funding, especially in challenging economic times, is “public safety,” which is most often interpreted as crisis services for victims and treatment or incarceration for perpetrators. Although every dollar invested in prevention not only changes the lives of individuals, but saves literally hundreds of dollars in the costs associated with future violence, public funding is very limited and fewer than 1/3 of Virginia’s Sexual and Domestic Violence Advocacy Agencies receive any of these limited funds. Prevention efforts must therefore rely upon funds raised in the private sector, from individuals, organizations, businesses and foundations.
In order to sustain and expand prevention efforts across the state, the Virginia Sexual and Domestic
Violence Action Alliance is launching the Building Healthy Futures Fund. The Building Healthy Futures Fund will contain a shared revenue between the Action Alliance and its member sexual and domestic violence advocacy agencies wherein the Action Alliance retains 15 percent of the yearly profits for development and maintenance of the fund and the remainder of the proceeds will be divided evenly among shareholders based on the number of shares held by each member agency.
First Fund Initiative: Special Interest License Plate
To establish the Building Healthy Futures Fund, the Action Alliance has designed a Special Interest License Plate. Beginning in September 2011, member agencies and the Action Alliance Governing Body will engage in selling the minimum required 450 pre-paid license plates. Selling pre-paid license plates is currently the only way member agencies have the opportunity to become shareholders in the Fund. Only agencies that opt in now by selling pre-paid license plates will be eligible to share in revenues from this first Fund initiative.
Fees for special license plates are collected every year, ensuring that this is a self-sustaining initiative. As previously stated, the license plate revenues will be allocated by shares each year. In order to receive one share, the member agency must sell 25 pre-paid plates. Member agencies will be eligible to obtain up to a maximum of 4 shares if they sell 100 (or more) pre-paid license plates.
Pre-paid license plates can be sold through June 2012. After the first 1,000 plates are sold, $15 from the sale of each plate will go into the Fund. Our first goal is to reach 450 pre-paid plates by January, but member agencies have through June 2012 to sell 100 plates to receive their 4 shares.
How to order a special interest license plate:
1. Go to: http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/pdf/vsa10.pdf to download your license plate application.
(Note: When filling out the Application, please check the box for Special Interest and write “Virginia
Sexual
and Domestic Violence Action Alliance” for organization name.)
2. Write a check made out
to “Action Alliance” for $25 (non-personalized) or $35 for a personalized license plate.
3. Mail check
and completed application to: 5008 Monument Ave., Ste. A Richmond, VA 23230
4. All pre-purchased license plates will be ready by Spring 2013. If
your contact information changes during
this time period, please contact the Action Alliance (804) 377-0335.
Have a question? Check-out our FAQ’s (PDF)
Building Healthy Futures Fund Advisory Board
Judy Casteele, Project Horizon
Beth Cross, HER Shelter
Kathleen Demro, Safe Harbor
Lavenda Denney, Independent Primary Prevention Specialist
Linda Ellis-Williams, Lynchburg DVPC
Patricia Jones-Turner, Chesterfield Domestic Violence Resource Center
Erika Kleiner, Alexandria Sexual and Domestic Violence Services
Cartie Lominack, Shelter for Help in Emergency
Margaret Mikkelsen, Sexual Assault Resource Agency
Ellen Yackel, The Haven
Arlene Vassell-Richards, Action Alliance staff support
Megan Wood, Action Alliance staff support
For more information contact the Action Alliance at 804-377-0335
