Funding Instability Could Close Critical Services for Survivors

YWCA Spokane is joining with Mujeres in Action (MiA), Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW), and Partners with Families and Children to urge Washington State lawmakers to preserve funding for crime victims services in the State budget.

Right now, the safety net for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse in Washington is at serious risk. Decisions being made in Olympia on the State Fiscal Year 2027 (SFY27) budget will determine whether vital programs can continue operating or whether many will be forced to reduce services, lay off staff, or close their doors.

At YWCA Spokane, we see every day what happens when survivors have access to support and what happens when they don’t.

Why Funding Is at Risk

Victim service programs across Washington, including here at YWCA Spokane, rely in part on federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding. VOCA funds come from criminal fines and penalties, not taxpayer dollars, and for decades they have helped sustain life-saving services for survivors. But those funds have dropped dramatically in recent years, leaving a deep and growing gap.

Temporary state funding that has kept programs afloat is also set to expire.  Without a $21.3 million statewide stabilization investment in the SFY27 budget, Washington’s crime victim services system will be at risk of permanent loss.

What’s at Stake

These funding losses are not abstract. They affect real people in moments of crisis.

These cuts would affect survivor-serving organizations across Spokane County and Washington State, including YWCA Spokane and other partner agencies in the community.

Reductions in funding threaten services such as:

• 24/7 crisis line support for people in immediate danger
• Safe shelter for survivors fleeing abuse
• Trauma-informed services for children who have experienced or witnessed violence
• Sexual assault advocacy in hospitals
• Court advocacy and legal system support
• Help with housing, financial stability, and safety planning

When one program has to cut back, the impact ripples across our entire network of care. Without full funding, survivors across our region may face unanswered crisis lines, fewer shelter beds, longer waitlists, and reduced access to advocacy and healing services.

YWCA Spokane CEO Janine Wynne shared, speaking about the impact across our regional network of providers:

“Our communities are stretched. Shelters are at capacity, and relying on hotels to move people into safety is expensive, short-lived, and not sustainable. If funds are reduced, it impacts our ability to support survivors where they are and to meet their unique needs. Moreover, what affects one provider affects us all. Survivor services function as a coordinated system of care, and funding cuts to one provider weaken support for everyone. No single organization can fill the gap if another is forced to scale back. It makes it harder for all of us to serve survivors when and where they need it most. ”

YWCA Spokane has been working in partnership with Mujeres en Acción (MiA), Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW), y Partners with Families and Children to elevate this issue locally and statewide. Alongside the Washington State Coalition against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (WSCADVSA), Spokane Regional Domestic Violence Coalition (SRDVC), our organizations are calling on lawmakers to protect funding that survivors across our region depend on.

Earlier this session, we joined advocates in Olympia for Advocacy Day, meeting with legislators from Spokane’s 3rd, 4th, and 6th districts to speak directly about the lifesaving services at risk.

There is no alternative funding source that can replace these dollars. These are proven, effective programs that save lives and help individuals and families rebuild after devastating trauma.

Washington Is at a Threshold Moment

The Governor’s proposed budget includes $12 million for crime victim services, an important step but only about half of what is needed. Advocates across the state are urging legislators to include the full $21.3 million required to prevent devastating loss of crime victims services.

Without immediate legislative action, Washington risks weakening a safety net that survivors rely on during the most dangerous and vulnerable times of their lives.

That’s why survivor service providers across our region are speaking with one voice right now and why community members’ voices matter just as much.

How You Can Take Action

Lawmakers need to hear from the people they represent, and that means you. Your voice matters.

Here’s what you can do:

Step 1: Find Your Legislators
Use Washington’s “Find My District” tool to look up your representatives based on your home address.

Step 2: Reach Out
Even a short message makes a difference. Below is sample language you can use to call or email your representatives.

Subject: Please Support $21.3 Million for Crime Victim Services

Sample Message:

Hello [Legislator’s Name],

My name is [Your Name], and I am a constituent from [Your City or District]. I’m writing to urge you to support $21.3 million in funding for crime victim services in the final budget.

Survivors are told they should not have to endure abuse and that help will be there when they reach out. That promise only holds if services are actually available.

While we appreciate that the Governor included $12 million in the budget, this is only half of what is needed to prevent programs from closing their doors.

Without full funding, survivors may face unanswered crisis lines, no shelter beds, and no access to advocacy or safety planning. This is a life-saving system and it is at risk right now.

I urge you to ask the budget writers to include the full $21.3 million investment to ensure survivors across our state can access the help they are promised.

Thank you for your time and your commitment to survivor safety.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Step 3: Spread the Word
Act now to share this message with friends, family, colleagues, and community networks. The more people who speak up, the stronger our collective impact. Every email and every phone call matters.

Stand With Survivors

Victim service programs are often the first, and sometimes the only, place survivors turn to in moments of danger. Failing to act now means breaking the promise we make to survivors every day: that they are not alone and that help will be there. Together, we can make sure that promise remains true.

Thank you for standing with survivors and for taking action today. Alongside our partner organizations across Spokane and Washington State, YWCA Spokane remains committed to ensuring survivors have somewhere to turn, today and in the future.