PAVSA

What PAVSA does

PAVSA (Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1975 and headquartered at 32 East 1st Street, Suite 200, Duluth, Minnesota. The organization delivers a comprehensive suite of free crisis, clinical, and legal services to survivors of sexual violence aged 13 and older across Southern St. Louis County and the Twin Ports area. Service lines include a 24/7 telephone helpline, hospital advocacy response, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) forensic medical examinations at no cost to the survivor, trauma-informed therapy, legal advocacy and in-house civil representation, multiple support groups (yoga, writing, art, hiking, walking), and secondary survivor support for partners, family, and friends.

PAVSA's service infrastructure is anchored by five hospital emergency department partnerships (Essentia St. Mary's Duluth and Superior, Aspirus St. Luke's, Aspirus Lake View Two Harbors, and Community Memorial Cloquet) where SANE nurses provide 24/7 forensic exam coverage. The organization also serves as the Safe Harbor Regional Navigator for at-risk and trafficked youth (up to age 24) across Carlton, Cook, Lake, and St. Louis counties, and coordinates the Sexual Assault Multidisciplinary Action Response Team (SMART) — a multi-agency coalition including Duluth, Hermantown, and UMD police departments, St. Louis County Sheriff and Attorney's Office, hospital partners, Safe Haven, First Witness, CASDA, LifeHouse, UMD, and CSS. Approximately 20 staff and trained volunteers deliver services through office visits, phone, video, and on-site response at schools, medical, treatment, and correctional facilities within 30 minutes of Duluth.

The revenue model is donation- and grant-funded rather than fee-for-service. Primary funding comes from a federal grant (Grant Number A-FASA-2025-PAVSA-00012) administered by the Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services within HHS's Administration for Children and Families, supplemented by individual donations (monthly giving via GiveMN, one-time gifts, Facebook fundraisers, employer matching, Amazon Wishlist in-kind contributions) and annual fundraising events including the 46th annual Autumn Event and the Pitch in for PAVSA bags tournament. PAVSA does not bill insurance and requires no payment from survivors for any service, including SANE exams, therapy, or legal representation.

Name

PAVSA

Legal name

Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault

Website

https://pavsa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PAVSA is a Duluth, Minnesota nonprofit founded in 1975 that provides free 24/7 crisis, SANE forensic, therapy, legal, and support services to sexual violence survivors across Southern St. Louis County and four-county Safe Harbor youth regions, funded primarily by a federal HHS/ACF grant plus community donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Duluth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: Primary funding from federal government grants, specifically the Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services (OFVPS) within the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Grant Number A-FASA-2025-PAVSA-00012)
2. Donations: Individual donations through monthly giving, one-time gifts, Facebook fundraisers, employer-matched gifts, and Amazon Wishlist in-kind donations
3. Fundraising Events: Annual events including the Autumn Event (46th annual) and Pitch in for PAVSA bags tournament to raise funds for services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PAVSA provides free, comprehensive direct support services to survivors of sexual violence aged 13 and older in Southern St. Louis County, Minnesota and the Twin Ports region. Core offerings include a 24/7 telephone helpline, hospital-based advocacy response at five regional emergency departments, SANE-certified medical forensic examinations, trauma-informed therapy, civil legal advocacy and representation, structured support groups, and Safe Harbor Regional Navigator services for at-risk and trafficked youth. All services are provided at no cost to survivors and do not require insurance.

Product overview

PAVSA (Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault) is a non-profit victim advocacy organization offering a comprehensive suite of direct support services to survivors of sexual violence and their loved ones. Rather than a technology product, PAVSA provides crisis intervention and ongoing support services including a 24-hour helpline, hospital advocacy, medical forensic examinations with SANE nurses, therapy, legal advocacy and representation, support groups (yoga, writing, art, hiking, walking), and specialized Safe Harbor services for trafficking victims. All services are provided free of charge to survivors aged 13 and older.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 24-Hour Helpline and Hospital Advocacy Response Round-the-clock telephone crisis support and hospital-based advocacy response for sexual assault survivors, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. PAVSA advocates respond to five regional hospital emergency departments: Essentia/St. Mary's ER Duluth, Aspirus/St. Luke's ER, Aspirus/Lake View Memorial ER (Two Harbors), Essentia/St. Mary's ER Superior (WI), and Community Memorial Hospital ER (Cloquet). Service is free with no insurance required.
• Medical Forensic Exam with SANE Forensic medical examinations performed by Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE), including evidence collection, STI and pregnancy prevention medications, and head-to-toe medical assessment at no cost to survivors. Conducted at five regional hospital emergency departments.
• Supportive Advocacy Ongoing advocacy services available via phone, video conferencing, or in-person meetings, including on-site sessions at schools, medical facilities, treatment centers, and correctional facilities within 30 minutes of Duluth.
• Therapy Services Trauma-informed therapeutic services provided by licensed therapists (LPCC, LGSW, MSW) at no cost to survivors, offered via phone, video, or in-person sessions.
• Legal Advocacy and Representation Legal advocacy and representation including assistance with protection orders, police reporting, court accompaniment, and civil legal representation in divorce, custody, housing, employment, Title IX, and immigration matters. Provided by PAVSA's in-house attorney and legal advocate/paralegal team.
• Support Groups Multiple structured support group offerings including Trauma-Conscious Yoga, Writing Circle, Art Group, Take Back the Hike hiking group, and Walk & Talk therapist-led walking groups for survivors.
• Support for Partners, Friends, and Family Support services for secondary survivors (partners, friends, and family of primary survivors), including guidance on how to support a loved one, coping resources, and advocacy services.
• Safe Harbor Northeast MN Regional Navigator Regional navigation services for identifying and assisting at-risk, sexually exploited and trafficked youth up to age 24, including professional trainings, community education, and case consultations across Carlton, Cook, Lake, and St. Louis counties.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SMART (Sexual Assault Multidisciplinary Action Response Team)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-disciplinary team ensuring survivor-centered community response to sexual assault with culturally-competent approach. Members include: Duluth Police Department, Hermantown Police Department, UMD Police Department, St. Louis County Sheriff's Office, St. Louis County Attorney's Office, PAVSA SANE Program, PAVSA, Safe Haven, First Witness, DAIP, LifeHouse, UMD, and CSS.
• First Witness Child Advocacy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing coordinated response to sexual violence and trafficking in the area.
• Safe Haven Shelter and Resource CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner shelter providing resources and shelter referrals for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
• Center Against Domestic and Sexual Abuse (CASDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Superior, WI providing domestic and sexual abuse services in the regional area.
• Life HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing services to youth, including those affected by trafficking and exploitation.
• Dabinoo'Igan ShelterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdditional community partner in the coordinated response network for sexual violence services.
• Essentia Health St. Mary's Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital partner where PAVSA SANE nurses provide forensic medical exams for sexual assault survivors 24/7.
• Aspirus St. Luke's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital partner where PAVSA SANE nurses provide forensic medical exams for sexual assault survivors 24/7.
• Safe Harbor Regional Navigator ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAVSA hosts the Safe Harbor Regional Navigator for Northeast Minnesota covering Carlton, Cook, Lake, and St. Louis counties to coordinate services for at-risk, sexually exploited and trafficked youth up to age 24.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Safe Haven Shelter and Resource Center: Direct local peer in Duluth operating shelter and resources for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. PAVSA explicitly partners with Safe Haven for shelter referrals, indicating closely aligned mission and overlapping survivor services.
• First Witness Child Advocacy Center: Duluth-based child advocacy center co-listed in the SMART multidisciplinary team alongside PAVSA. Provides coordinated response to child sexual abuse, directly overlapping PAVSA's at-risk youth and trafficking caseload.
• Center Against Domestic and Sexual Abuse (CASDA): Direct peer organization serving Superior, WI and the surrounding region with domestic and sexual violence services. Operates as a counterpart to PAVSA across the Twin Ports, with overlapping service categories.
• LifeHouse: Duluth-based nonprofit supporting youth, including those affected by trafficking and exploitation. PAVSA is a SMART partner with LifeHouse, and youth trafficking work overlaps directly with PAVSA's Safe Harbor Navigator program.
• DAIP (Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs): Duluth-based program, originator of the Duluth Model, and a SMART partner with PAVSA. Operates in the same regional survivor services ecosystem with overlapping clients and referral pathways.

Broad incumbents

• Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MNCASA): Statewide coalition that supports and represents sexual assault service programs across Minnesota. PAVSA is a member program; MNCASA indirectly funds and guides PAVSA's work through state-level coordination.
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): National umbrella and operator of the National Sexual Assault Hotline. PAVSA-affiliated services are connected to RAINN's network, making it a comparable, larger-scale incumbent in the same survivor-support category.
• National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC): National resource hub providing training, research, and technical assistance to sexual assault service programs like PAVSA. Operates in the same domain at a broader scale and functions as an industry knowledge leader.
• National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV): National advocacy and education organization for domestic violence survivors and programs. Domestic violence services materially overlap with PAVSA's sexual violence services, and many of PAVSA's partners serve both populations.

Regional players

• American Indian Community Housing Organization (AICHO) / Dabinoo'Igan Shelter: Regional Duluth-area shelter and services organization, including Dabinoo'Igan Shelter, explicitly listed as a PAVSA partner. Provides culturally specific domestic and sexual violence support that complements PAVSA's offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pavsaduluth
• Instagraminstagram.com/pavsaduluth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pavsa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about PAVSA