{"id":169622,"date":"2025-08-23T17:00:17","date_gmt":"2025-08-23T17:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/169622\/"},"modified":"2025-08-23T17:00:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-23T17:00:17","slug":"jensen-project-awards-granttank-funding-to-5-nonprofits-tackling-sex-trafficking-including-a-dallas-based-leader-dallas-innovates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/169622\/","title":{"rendered":"Jensen Project Awards GrantTank Funding to 5 Nonprofits Tackling Sex Trafficking, Including a Dallas-Based Leader \u00bb Dallas Innovates"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two North Texas organizations\u2014one that fuels the fight against sex trafficking, and one that helps women and girls rebuild their lives after it\u2014are at the heart of a national funding initiative announced this month.<\/b><\/p>\n

New Friends New Life, a Dallas-based nonprofit that supports trafficked and sexually exploited teen girls, women, and their children, has been named one of five new 2025 recipients of GrantTank, the funding and support program of The Jensen Project, which is headquartered in Irving.<\/p>\n

Launched in 2021, GrantTank identifies and supports U.S.-based nonprofits with bold, survivor-centered approaches to ending commercial sexual exploitation. The program combines direct funding with leadership development and peer collaboration to strengthen long-term impact.<\/p>\n

Since its launch, GrantTank has distributed more than $11 million in grants to organizations tackling sexual violence. In 2025 alone, The Jensen Project said it will award more than $2.3 million to support nonprofit programs focused on housing, economic mobility, prevention, and tech-enabled solutions.<\/p>\n

The Jensen Project emphasized that while financial support is critical, it\u2019s only one piece of the equation. The initiative is built around long-term capacity-building, collaboration, and tailored support that helps frontline organizations grow and sustain their work.<\/p>\n

Awarding a local leader in a national movement<\/p>\n

Founded in 1998, New Friends New Life offers access to education, counseling, job training, and advocacy for trafficked and sexually exploited women, teen girls, and their children. The organization also works to raise public awareness of the issue, especially in Texas, where trafficking remains pervasive.<\/p>\n

Texas ranks second in the nation for human trafficking, with an estimated 300,000 victims across the state, according to New Friends New Life CEO Bianca Davis. In a recent appearance on The Jeff Crilley Show, Davis spoke about the magnitude of the problem<\/a>, and the momentum building around solutions.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a really big problem, but I want people to know that it\u2019s everyday steps that make the difference, that we can turn this around,\u201d Davis said.<\/p>\n

She said survivors are reclaiming their lives\u2014and that change is being driven by communities willing to act.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are women and girls\u2014and men and boys\u2014who have had their lives restored. They\u2019re on to the great things that they had in their minds, and it\u2019s because of moments like this, where you choose to take a stand,\u201d she told Crilley.<\/p>\n

Davis also thanked longtime Dallas advocate Bill Wallace for lending his support and leadership to the cause, saying his \u201cyears of service and big heart\u201d have helped fuel real change in the region.<\/p>\n

Five new grantees, 17 returning organizations<\/p>\n

Alongside New Friends New Life, the 2025 GrantTank cohort includes four other organizations working nationally and regionally to dismantle the systems that enable sex trafficking\u2014and to support the people it harms. They include Allies Against Slavery, AnnieCannons, Street Grace, and PEHT: Partnership to End Human Trafficking, based in Bridgeport, Connecticut.<\/p>\n

The Jensen Project said the recipients \u201crepresent a bold, diverse cohort of frontline change-makers\u201d who share a commitment to dignity, autonomy, and measurable results for the people they serve.<\/p>\n

According to the organization, the grantees were selected through a vetting process that evaluated each nonprofit\u2019s vision, transparency, financial sustainability, and survivor-centered practices. Their work spans housing, prevention, economic empowerment, data collection, and proprietary technology built to better serve the sector.<\/p>\n

Continuing support for prior grantees<\/p>\n

In addition to the new recipients, 17 past grantees will continue to receive funding and leadership development support through GrantTank in 2025. These organizations operate across the country and focus on everything from job training and safe exits to trauma-informed housing and community re-entry programs.<\/p>\n