BRAVE Bay Area, one of the nation’s first rape crisis centers, is closing its doors in September because of what organizers described as insurmountable financial challenges and understaffing.

The Alameda County-based organization, formerly known as Bay Area Women Against Rape, has been a cornerstone of support services and advocacy for survivors of gender-based violence across the region for more than five decades. In addition to providing counseling and training for advocates, BRAVE Bay Area also operates a 24/7 helpline — although the East Bay Times recently reported that hundreds of calls go unanswered every month.

The nonprofit decided to shut down after years of anemic fundraising and challenges in finding new sources of funding. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization’s service capacity has plummeted and organizers have tried, unsuccessfully, to curb the decline through collaboration with other local organizations.

Federal funding cuts have only exacerbated the nonprofit’s financial troubles. BRAVE Bay Area relies on federal grants for more than 90% of its operating budget, according to the nonprofit, and that funding dropped by 30% this year.

“While Rape Crisis Center funding has been threatened in the past — a fight we are familiar with — previous challenges were weathered with reserves and resources that are no longer available to us,” Leah Kimble-Price, executive director of BRAVE Bay Area, and Karen Schoonmaker, who chairs the organization’s board, said in a statement. “Today’s reality is starkly different.”

Kimble-Price and Schoonmaker noted that cuts to federal funding are not the only factor organizers are considering. The nonprofit is also severely understaffed because it’s lost volunteers. To meet labor standards for organizations focused on survivor support, BRAVE Bay Area would need to double its current workforce to continue providing a minimum level of service, they said.

Instead of depleting further resources in an effort to keep the nonprofit open, BRAVE Bay Area is focused on sharing its services and institutional knowledge with local partners who are better equipped to service the community, Kimble-Price and Schoonmaker said.

They noted that the decision to end operations is “not a surrender.” After considering the options, they opted to step aside, they said. “Sometimes, the most courageous action is recognizing when passing the torch will better serve the cause we all believe in.”

It’s also possible that questions surrounding the organization’s leadership could have played a role in the announced closure. The East Bay Times recently reported that former BRAVE Bay Area volunteers were concerned about the nonprofit’s alleged noncompliance with state standards for helpline operators, including a requirement that certain survivor support services be made available 24/7.

BRAVE Bay Area did not respond to a request for comment on the allegations.

Sarah Lance, a campus advocate for survivors of sexual and domestic violence at UC Law San Francisco, said the loss of BRAVE Bay Area and its services is devastating. She works closely with BRAVE and other organizations to make sure that students and faculty receive comprehensive services that her office cannot provide, Lance said.

Making sure people can access a 24/7 helpline and volunteers who are equipped to support them is a crucial first step for many survivors, she said, adding that while other organizations in the East Bay, such as the Family Violence Law Center, can provide survivors with housing and legal aid, no one can replace BRAVE Bay Area.

“My heart is just breaking thinking about all of the people who work so hard to muster up the courage to call and ask for help, but aren’t going to have anyone on the other side of the line,” she said.

In response to the allegations brought against BRAVE’s leadership, Lance said she hasn’t heard directly from current or former volunteers. She noted, however, that compliance with standards of care is critical for organizations working with survivors.