This page will be updated regularly with information regarding funding for NOVA’s essential programs and services.

M E M O R A N D U M

To: Our NOVA Donors, Community Partners, Volunteers, and Friends
From: Penelope Ettinger, Executive Director, NOVA
RE: Urgent Update on Federal Funding Cuts and NOVA’s Future
Date: 26 February 2025

For 51 years, NOVA has been committed to providing critical services to victims of crime and their loved ones. We have always adapted and persevered through challenges, but today, I need to share an urgent reality with you.

Proposed federal funding cuts—including but not limited to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) — could have a serious impact on NOVA and victim services nationwide. Funding for victim services has longstanding bipartisan support! If these cuts move forward, victim service providers across the country, including NOVA, will face devastating funding losses, threatening our ability to meet the needs of the children and adults we serve in Bucks County. Without our services, victims of crime in our community face a future without the necessary tools to heal.

One of many stories is that of a school-age girl, who was the victim of child sexual abuse – enduring the abuse of her father for years until she had the bravery to disclose the abuse to a NOVA Educator who had delivered a personal safety program at her school. After the ChildLine call was made, the little girl and her loving caregivers were referred to NOVA where she was able to share her story with a Forensic Interviewer in our safe and child-friendly environment of the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC). NOVA also provided specialized counseling services and victim advocacy for the child and her family – walking together through the criminal justice system. Through the investigative process of the CAC, and a victim witness statement provided by the child’s mother with help from the Victim Advocate, the father was tried and sentenced to prison.

At NOVA, we believe that every victim—regardless of age, gender, race, or background—deserves access to safety, support, and justice. We remain committed to being an inclusive resource for all survivors, but the potential loss of these critical funds puts that mission at risk.

Call to Action: Please reach out to your elected officials at the federal and state level and let them know how vitally important NOVA is to our Bucks County community. Thank you for standing with us and for your unwavering commitment to victims and survivors in our community.

This moment is challenging, but it is also a reminder that individuals have the power to make a difference. Raising awareness, engaging in conversations, and advocating for continued support of victim services are all ways we can work together to protect those who need us most.

We will continue to monitor these developments and keep you updated. If you have questions or would like to discuss how this may impact NOVA, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. My contact information is below.

Email: pettinger@novabucks.org
Phone: 215-343-6543 x6101

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