DC SAFE

What DC SAFE does

DC SAFE (Survivors and Advocates for Empowerment) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit crisis intervention agency serving domestic violence survivors in Washington, DC. Founded in 1997 as a project of the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence and incorporated as an independent entity in 2006, it has grown into the largest crisis intervention agency in the District, serving 10,000-13,000 survivors annually. Its service portfolio includes a 24/7 DC Victim Hotline (1-844-443-5732), the Spanish-language ACCION Line, two walk-in Domestic Violence Intake Centers (Northwest at DC Superior Courthouse and Southeast in Anacostia), and the 30-unit SAFE Space Crisis Shelter in Eckington — the only DC facility capable of 24/7 immediate placements within one hour of a domestic violence incident. The organization also coordinates the High-Risk Domestic Violence Initiative (HRDVI), a city-mandated unified response involving 17 partner agencies, and operates a customized Lethality Assessment Tool based on Dr. Jacqueline Campbell's validated danger assessment research.

DC SAFE's business model is multi-revenue-stream: charitable donations (one-time, monthly "Safety Net," peer-to-peer fundraising, corporate matching, planned giving), fee-based training services ($250-$1,000 per session) for government and community organizations, and commercial office leasing to nonprofit co-tenants in the SAFE Space building. Its technology stack is non-proprietary, relying on standard CRM tools for case management and web platforms for service delivery and donor engagement. The organization serves a distributed base of survivors across multiple segments including general DV survivors, Latino/Hispanic survivors, high-risk survivors (approximately 2,000 identified annually), LGBTQ+ survivors, and survivors with disabilities. Its go-to-market relies on direct service provision, government referral pipelines (over 60% of hotline calls originate from Metropolitan Police Department referrals), community events (Keep DC SAFE Gala, DC SAFE Dash 5K), and earned media coverage from regional and national outlets.

Name

DC SAFE

Legal name

Survivors and Advocates for Empowerment, Inc.

Website

https://dcsafe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DC SAFE is the largest domestic violence crisis intervention agency in Washington, DC, operating a 24/7 hotline, two intake centers, a 30-unit emergency shelter, and a 17-agency High-Risk Domestic Violence Initiative serving 10,000+ survivors annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Temporary Shelters (624221), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

Keywords

• Domestic violence services
• Crisis intervention
• Emergency shelter
• Survivor advocacy
• Victim support

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: DC SAFE relies heavily on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization offers multiple giving options including one-time donations, monthly giving (The Safety Net program), peer-to-peer fundraising, in-kind donations, corporate matching gifts, Donor-Advised Fund contributions, and legacy/planned giving.
2. Training Services: DC SAFE provides fee-based training and technical assistance to government agencies, community-based organizations, faith communities, and other professionals. Training topics include Domestic Violence 101, Trauma-Informed Advocacy, Lethality Assessments, Civil and Criminal Remedies, and more.
3. Commercial Office Leasing: The new SAFE Space building offers commercial office space for lease to nonprofit partners, currently including DC Forensic Nurse Examiners, Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse, and Open Arms Housing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DC SAFE is the largest crisis intervention agency in Washington, DC providing 24/7 domestic violence services including a crisis hotline, two walk-in intake centers, a 30-unit emergency shelter with 1-hour placement capability, and a Spanish-language ACCION Line. The organization coordinates the High-Risk Domestic Violence Initiative (HRDVI) with 17 partner agencies, conducts lethality assessments to identify high-risk survivors, and offers court advocacy, training programs, and systems advocacy for survivor-centered policy reform.

Product overview

DC SAFE (Survivors and Advocates for Empowerment) is a nonprofit domestic violence crisis intervention organization offering a portfolio of integrated services. The core offerings include the SAFE Space Crisis Shelter (24/7 emergency housing), the ACCION Line (Spanish-language hotline), and the Lethality Assessment Project (risk screening tool). These are supported by the High Risk Domestic Violence Initiative coordinating 17 partner agencies, the Giving Store wishlist marketplace, community resource navigation, domestic violence training programs, and systems advocacy efforts. The organization operates as a service provider rather than a technology product company, with all offerings focused on direct survivor support, advocacy, and systemic reform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 10,000+ survivors annually; 55,890+ total residents impacted by intimate partner violence served since inception
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Office of Victim Services and Justice GrantscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Lead funder and partner for the High-Risk Domestic Violence Initiative (HRDVI). Mandated unified response model following 2009 homicides, with DC SAFE as lead coordinator.
• Metropolitan Police DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPD receives ~35,000 DV-related 911 calls annually; over 60% of DC SAFE's 20,000+ Response Line calls start with MPD referral. DC SAFE volunteers ride along with officers through the DV Liaison Program.
• DC Department of Behavioral HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRDVI partner providing mental health services and crisis support for high-risk domestic violence survivors.
• DC Forensic Nurse ExaminerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located in SAFE Space shelter, providing 24/7 forensic nursing care and reproductive health services to survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.
• Washington Hospital CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRDVI partner providing medical services and healthcare access for domestic violence survivors.
• Mayor's Office of Latino AffairsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRDVI partner supporting Spanish-speaking and Latino survivors accessing services.
• Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRDVI partner providing supervision services and offender accountability measures.
• DC Superior CourtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRDVI partner providing judicial oversight and access to civil protection orders for survivors.
• DC Department of Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRDVI partner providing housing assistance and benefits coordination for survivors.
• DC Housing AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRDVI partner providing public housing access and housing vouchers for survivors.
• Office of the Attorney General for DC - Domestic Violence UnitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRDVI and Legal Services Continuum partner providing legal representation and prosecution in domestic violence cases.
• United States Attorney's Office for DCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRDVI federal partner providing criminal prosecution for domestic violence offenses.
• Network for Victim Recovery of DCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCrisis Continuum partner providing comprehensive victim services alongside DC SAFE.
• Wendt Center for Loss and HealingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCrisis Continuum partner providing mental health and grief support services.
• Jewish Coalition Against Domestic AbusecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCrisis Continuum partner and co-located tenant in SAFE Space building providing DV services.
• Amara Legal CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal Services Continuum partner providing immigration-related legal services for survivors.
• Ayuda, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal Services Continuum partner providing immigration and family law services for low-income immigrants.
• Legal Aid Society of DCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal Services Continuum partner providing free civil legal services to low-income residents.
• Georgetown University Domestic Violence ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal Services Continuum partner providing law students trained in DV representation.
• Safe Sister's CircleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal Services Continuum partner providing culturally specific DV services.
• Open Arms HousingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located tenant in SAFE Space building providing housing services.
• ConsigliminorOthersGeneral contractor for SAFE Space Crisis Shelter construction. Team included women engineers Hannah Gelfant and Julia Bausano working on the project.
• Luis Peralta del ValleminorOthersArtist creating custom mural on the side of the new SAFE Space building depicting diversity and inclusivity. Entire mural costs approximately $75,000.
• DC Coalition Against Domestic ViolencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiated the DC Housing Continuum in 2016; DC SAFE participates in this interagency partnership with DV housing providers.
• Council of the District of ColumbiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDC SAFE works with the Council to advocate for survivor-centered legislation and effective policy implementation.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence: DC's broader coalition of DV service providers and DC SAFE's former parent organization. It is directly comparable as the citywide umbrella for DV advocacy, policy, and provider coordination that DC SAFE both partners with and historically emerged from.
• Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (JCADA): A Washington DC-area nonprofit providing DV crisis intervention, counseling, and education services. JCADA is directly comparable as a co-located SAFE Space tenant providing overlapping survivor services within the same regional geography.
• Network for Victim Recovery of DC: A DC-based nonprofit providing comprehensive victim services including crisis response and legal advocacy. It is directly comparable as a Crisis Continuum partner delivering parallel, complementary services to DC survivors alongside DC SAFE.
• House of Ruth Maryland: A Maryland-based nonprofit operating shelters, hotlines, and counseling for DV survivors across the Baltimore-DC corridor. It is directly comparable as a regional DV shelter and crisis intervention peer with overlapping mid-Atlantic service territory.
• Wendt Center for Loss and Healing: A DC nonprofit providing mental health, trauma, and grief services to survivors. It is directly comparable as a Crisis Continuum partner offering mental-health specialization that complements DC SAFE's crisis intervention model.
• Amara Legal Center: A DC-based nonprofit providing free legal services to immigrant DV and trafficking survivors. It is directly comparable as a Legal Services Continuum partner delivering parallel, complementary services to DC SAFE clients in the same region.

Broad incumbents

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: The federally-designated national 24/7 DV hotline serving all U.S. jurisdictions. It is broadly comparable as the national-scale provider of crisis-line infrastructure that DC SAFE's DC Victim Hotline directly complements and refers survivors into.
• National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV): A national policy and capacity-building organization addressing DV through public policy, technology (Safety Net), and provider coalitions. It is broadly comparable as an industry-wide coordinating and advocacy counterpart shaping DV policy that DC SAFE's systems advocacy work aligns with.

Regional players

• Sanctuary for Families: A New York City-based nonprofit providing shelter, counseling, and legal services to DV survivors. It is comparable as a city-level DV crisis intervention and shelter operator, though focused on the New York rather than DC market.

Emerging players

• Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project (DVRP): A DC-area nonprofit providing culturally-specific DV services to Asian/Pacific Islander survivors. It is comparable as a peer DV crisis response provider in DC, focused on a specific underserved linguistic and cultural segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DC_SAFE
• Facebookfacebook.com/DCSAFE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/safe-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DC SAFE