In the fall of 2005, BWRI was awarded a grant from the Verizon Foundation to complete a strategic plan. With the assistance of a consultant, BWRI focused its attention on answering basic questions: Is the issue of domestic violence any different today than it was thirty years ago? Are the services we deliver still relevant and efficient? Should our focus remain exclusively on battered women or should we expand our services to all members of the family? What are the needs of women beyond the immediate crisis? Should our services expand to include a more concentrated effort on prevention?

Experts on domestic violence agree a broader approach to domestic violence is needed rather than the limited crisis intervention services currently offered by most domestic violence programs throughout the country. Complicating the effectiveness of any domestic violence program is the erosion of state and federally funded programs used by many agencies, especially in rural areas, to move victims beyond a life of violence. Welfare reform, the decrease in the availability of affordable housing, rising costs of health care, childcare expenses, transportation costs and the lack of jobs paying a livable wage all contribute to a victim's reluctance to leave a violent relationship.

Thirty years of research, social change and improvements in public policy have resulted in a range of options that are now available to victims of domestic violence. Yet, despite the gains in policy and public awareness, domestic violence remains a critical social issue.

To assist us in answering these fundamental issues, BWRI did a number of things:

Appointed a steering committee of staff and Board members to guide our process

Developed a framework to answer basic questions and examine assumptions

Completed an internal examination of our existing services and developed recommendations for change

Sought community input through surveys, focus groups and interviews with community leaders, executive directors, key stakeholders, staff and current and former clients

Click here to view the complete Strategic Plan PDF