Each GrantTank cycle, The Jensen Project seeks to identify organizations that are making impactful change in the selected categories that serve survivors of sex trafficking. The following nonprofits have received catalytic funding and an invitation to the annual GrantTank Cohort, allowing for collaborative strategic planning for the future of the sector.
The Jensen Project has awarded 3Strands Global Foundation (3SGF) a grant to support their survivor-designed program that propels female survivors of sex trafficking into high-demand, sustainable careers in the medical field. Over the course of this grant term, twelve survivor clients will be enrolled in expedited industry training for medical assisting, phlebotomy, or medical coding and billing. This funding will cover tuition, books, medical supplies, and scrubs for each participant, as well as provide a temporary stipend to help offset living costs while engaged in programming. All participants will receive holistic support through the comprehensive Employ + Empower program, addressing personal and economic insecurity to ensure long-term stability.
Becoming a GrantTank recipient enables Allies Against Slavery to broaden their reach and impact in the United States. With increased funding, their innovative software, Lighthouse, will better educate direct service providers of the need in their area, inform nonprofits of surrounding services for increased collaboration, and improve overall understanding of the domestic human trafficking crisis, so we will be better equipped to fight it.
The Jensen Project believes the quality of care is dependent on the employees of the organization and is proud to provide funding for critical positions at Awaken: a survivor-led Case Manager role in Reno, NV, and a Chief Program Officer in Wisconsin. These roles are integral to enhancing direct service delivery, strategic program development, and expanding capacity to combat commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking effectively.
The Jensen Project has awarded Designed For Joy a grant to enable the organization to serve up to 35% more survivors over a two-year period. This grant will fund a full-time case manager to work directly with women in crisis, helping them achieve economic stability more quickly, and will also cover client payroll and production materials for their employment programs.
The Jensen Project has awarded Eden Centers a grant to support their efforts in providing a stable Continuum of Care. This grant will specifically fund training for staff, safe and stable living environments through the Eden Emergency Center, Garden House, and Eden House, as well as economic empowerment initiatives. Over two years, the grant will directly enhance housing and economic empowerment services for survivors of human trafficking in Louisiana.
This 2024 GrantTank cycle, The Jensen Project proudly grants general operating support to RBI. This partnership is driven by a shared commitment to enhance capacity, program effectiveness, and operational efficiency. Their strategic focus includes expanding their team to meet growing demands and bolstering program impact through rigorous assessment and enhancement. By optimizing systems and technology, they aim to foster a resilient organizational framework that supports survivors on their journey toward empowerment and independence.
The Jensen Project has committed to a strategic partnership with Empowered Network. This funding supports Empowered Network’s pivotal shift from a contract worker model to a full-time staff structure, facilitating a substantial increase in Empowerment Plans from 100 in 2023 to an anticipated 325 by 2025. Empowered Network’s focus on housing, education, and employment solutions addresses systemic barriers for survivors of trafficking, empowering them toward sustainable independence.
Freedom a la Cart (Freedom) has been awarded a GrantTank grant from The Jensen Project to bolster and expand its critical services for survivors of sex trafficking. This funding will support Freedom in maintaining its current capacity to serve over 300 survivors annually while also facilitating expansion into a new geographic market within Ohio by the end of 2025. The organization aims to reach more survivors and enhance their journey toward self-sufficiency through a comprehensive array of programs that address the multifaceted challenges they face.
Becoming a GrantTank recipient enables My Life My Choice to empower members of marginalized populations through its three core programming areas: Survivor Empowerment, Prevention Education & Solutions, and Training & Advocacy. Their ultimate goal is to change not only lives, but the structural inequities that give rise to and allow CSEC to persist in our communities and across the nation.
The Jensen Project is pleased to support the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) in their continued efforts for 2023 and 2024. With The Jensen Project’s backing, NCOSE aims to build awareness about federal and state legislation while educating policymakers on research regarding sex trafficking and prostitution.
Becoming a GrantTank recipient means that New Friends New Life can offer young women with the support they need to thrive in their lives. When faced with destitution, young women may be more easily coerced into reentering The Life, or entering it for the first time. The Youth Resource Center will help each member identify their struggles, itemize them, and conquer them, as well as provide a safe place to talk through their issues at home or to hang out and just be.
Becoming a GrantTank recipient means that Global PEHT will better assist trafficking survivors in their transition from “the life” into “program life.” Survivors often need a period of intensive case management to achieve the basic levels of stability necessary to participate in a residential program, and now Global PEHT is better able to offer that trauma-informed care.
The Jensen Project has awarded Reflection Ministries of Texas with a grant renewal to support comprehensive services for survivors of sex trafficking in West Texas. This includes academic opportunities such as literacy courses and GED programs, life skills training in areas like financial literacy and communication, and career support services to enhance job readiness and stability. Reflection Ministries also provides trauma-informed counseling and holistic mental health services, ensuring survivors receive the necessary support for long-term healing and independence.
The Jensen Project has awarded REST another grant to support their efforts to offer survivors of sex trafficking safety, stability, and self-sufficiency. REST aims to identify, access, and maintain stable housing for survivors, recognizing it as crucial for their safety, stability, and long-term independence.
GrantTank 2024 funding will elevate key staff salaries and provide staff with employee benefits that were previously unavailable. Rest Stop values their dedicated staff and felt these enhancements were crucial for attracting and retaining qualified staff capable of delivering continuous trauma-focused care. This funding is essential not only for addressing the immediate workforce shortages but also for establishing sustainable practices in staff support and organizational resilience.
The Jensen Project will support Rethreaded in this new season of partnership and funding to bolster their capacity to provide their participants with essential healthcare coverage by establishing a robust medical benefits program and hiring a dedicated Human Resources professional. As Rethreaded plans to expand its workforce to more than 50 employees over the next 2-3 years, these initiatives are pivotal in maintaining employee stability and fostering a supportive workplace environment.
The Jensen Project has awarded a general support grant to advance efforts in preventing sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of women, girls, and marginalized individuals through policy advocacy and reform at state and federal levels. This support aims to strengthen education, advocacy, public awareness campaigns, and coalition building. The grant will bolster ongoing efforts to combat efforts to fully decriminalize the sex trade across various states, advance survivor-led policies like the Equality Model, and protect survivors from unjust criminalization, building on successes in Maine, Illinois, Virginia, and Maryland, among others.
The Jensen Project has awarded SEI funding to sustain its Advocacy Project. This funding is crucial for SEI to continue its mission of supporting survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE) by addressing the legal barriers that prevent them from achieving sustainable exits from exploitation.
The Jensen Project has awarded a grant to support The Network’s data-driven strategy to combat sex trafficking in the United States. This funding will enhance their capacity to increase data confidence, automate manual tasks, and make data accessible to partners. The Network’s approach involves equipping partners with online data about illicit massage businesses (IMBs), reducing storefronts, and decreasing exploitation.
The Jensen Project has agreed to support The WellHouse’s alumni care initiatives, which focus on providing affordable housing, job skills training, and expanding ShopWell, their survivor-run social enterprise. This funding will also equip the new ShopWell studio and facilitate plans to rent a storefront, enhancing job opportunities and economic empowerment for both graduates and residents.
The Jensen Project’s grant to Thistle Farms marks a pivotal support for their Job Readiness 2.0 program, aimed at empowering women survivors of trafficking and exploitation. This initiative builds on Thistle Farms’ holistic approach, integrating survivor feedback to enhance occupational therapy, career assessment, and entrepreneurial mentorship. These efforts are crucial in bridging the gap between programmatic support and sustainable independence for survivors.
The Jensen Project has awarded Wellspring Living a grant to support their “Bridge Community Transitional Housing” program. This initiative provides stable housing and comprehensive support services to survivors of trafficking and their children, fostering autonomy, stability, and hope within a nurturing community environment. The funding ensures ongoing access to safe and supportive environments, crucial for these survivors as they transition towards sustainable independence.
The Jensen Project has awarded a grant to World Without Exploitation (WorldWE) to support their work focused on advancing the Survivor Model in key states. WorldWE aims to counter full decriminalization efforts nationwide, bolstered by proactive policy advocacy, survivor mobilization, and media campaigns highlighting the harms of the sex trade and promoting survivor-centered solutions like the Survivor Model.
A yearly grant program, funding up to $2 Million to advance opportunities for agencies who serve adult female survivors of human trafficking.
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It takes funding for organizations to help women impacted by sexual violence, but it’s just the starting point. The Jensen Project’s holistic approach empowers nonprofits with grants, resources, and ongoing support to fuel the fight against sexual violence.