Deadline: 10-Jul-2026
The Fiscal Year 2026 STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Formula Grant Program provides approximately USD 173.3 million in funding to states and territories to strengthen responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Administered by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), the program supports victim services, law enforcement training, prosecution efforts, court improvements, and coordinated community responses to violence against women.
Overview
The STOP Formula Grant Program is one of the largest federal funding initiatives supporting efforts to prevent and respond to violence against women in the United States.
Authorized under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the program provides formula-based funding to state governments and territories to improve victim safety, strengthen criminal justice responses, and enhance collaboration among agencies serving survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
The program supports comprehensive, victim-centered approaches that improve offender accountability while increasing access to services and protections for victims.
Funding Information
- Total estimated funding available: USD 173.3 million
- Expected number of awards: Approximately 56
- Award range: Approximately USD 617,000 to USD 16.4 million
- Funding type: Formula grant
- Administering agency: Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)
- Federal department: U.S. Department of Justice
Funding allocations are distributed according to statutory formulas established under federal law.
Program Objectives
The program aims to:
- Prevent domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking
- Improve victim safety and access to services
- Strengthen offender accountability
- Enhance criminal justice responses
- Improve statewide coordination among service providers
- Expand legal assistance and victim advocacy
- Support Tribal communities and underserved populations
- Increase training for professionals responding to violence against women
- Improve prosecution and court outcomes
- Strengthen public safety across communities
The program encourages coordinated, multidisciplinary approaches involving law enforcement, courts, victim service providers, and community organizations.
Priority Areas
Funding may support activities related to:
- Domestic violence prevention and response
- Dating violence intervention
- Sexual assault services
- Stalking prevention and victim support
- Victim advocacy and assistance
- Criminal justice system improvements
- Multidisciplinary coordination
- Tribal victim services
- Rural victim services
- Human trafficking response
- Public safety enhancement
- Victim legal assistance
- Law enforcement training
- Court system improvements
- Prosecution capacity building
Projects should contribute to stronger community responses and improved victim outcomes.
Eligible Activities
Grant funds may be used for a broad range of initiatives.
Eligible activities include:
- Training law enforcement officers
- Training prosecutors and judges
- Training court personnel
- Training forensic medical personnel
- Developing specialized law enforcement units
- Expanding prosecution units
- Supporting specialized court programs
- Improving victim service delivery
- Providing legal assistance to victims
- Developing policies and protocols
- Enhancing communication systems
- Improving data collection and information sharing
- Supporting statewide coordination initiatives
- Strengthening Tribal programs
- Maintaining core victim services
- Supporting Jessica Gonzales Victim Assistants
- Providing immigration-related assistance to eligible victims
- Enhancing services in rural and remote communities
Activities should directly address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
Support for Underserved Populations
The program places significant emphasis on improving services for underserved populations.
Funding may support initiatives serving:
- Older adults
- Individuals with disabilities
- Deaf victims
- Tribal communities
- Rural populations
- Remote communities
- Small-town populations
- Immigrant victims
- Historically underserved groups
Projects should demonstrate strategies to improve accessibility and service delivery for vulnerable populations.
Tribal and Rural Community Support
Special attention is given to strengthening services in Tribal, rural, and geographically isolated communities.
Supported activities may include:
- Tribal victim advocacy programs
- Rural law enforcement training
- Enhanced prosecution services
- Community-based victim support
- Cross-agency coordination
- Public safety initiatives
These investments help address service gaps and resource limitations in underserved regions.
Who Is Eligible?
Eligible applicants are:
- State governments
- U.S. territories eligible under the program
Applicants must:
- Meet statutory eligibility requirements
- Submit required certifications
- Demonstrate ongoing compliance with applicable program provisions
- Follow all federal grant regulations
State agencies typically administer the funding and distribute portions through subgrants to local organizations and service providers.
Matching Fund Requirements
Recipients must provide a non-federal match.
Key requirements include:
- Federal funds may cover up to 75% of project costs
- Applicants must provide a 25% non-federal match
- Matching contributions may be cash or in-kind services
Certain entities are exempt from matching requirements, including:
- Some Tribal subgrants
- Certain qualifying victim service providers
Applicants should review federal guidance regarding allowable match contributions.
Why This Program Matters
Violence against women continues to have significant impacts on public safety, health, and community wellbeing.
This program is important because it:
- Supports survivor safety and recovery
- Improves access to critical services
- Strengthens law enforcement responses
- Enhances prosecution effectiveness
- Promotes offender accountability
- Expands services in underserved communities
- Encourages statewide collaboration
- Improves justice system outcomes
- Supports long-term violence prevention efforts
The STOP Formula Grant Program serves as a cornerstone of federal efforts to address gender-based violence across the United States.
How the Funding Works
The program distributes formula-based funding to eligible states and territories.
Recipients may then:
- Develop statewide funding priorities.
- Coordinate with stakeholders and service providers.
- Allocate funds through grants and subgrants.
- Support victim services and justice system improvements.
- Monitor program implementation.
- Report outcomes and compliance activities.
Funding supports both new initiatives and the continuation of essential victim services and criminal justice programs.
How to Apply
Eligible state agencies should:
- Confirm eligibility requirements.
- Review applicable STOP Formula Grant Program guidance.
- Complete required certifications and assurances.
- Demonstrate ongoing compliance with statutory provisions.
- Develop a statewide implementation strategy.
- Prepare funding allocation plans.
- Submit the application through the designated federal grants process.
- Ensure compliance with matching fund requirements where applicable.
Applicants should clearly demonstrate how funding will improve victim safety and strengthen responses to violence against women.
Tips for a Strong Application
Competitive applications often:
- Demonstrate strong statewide coordination
- Include meaningful stakeholder participation
- Prioritize victim-centered approaches
- Address underserved populations
- Show measurable outcomes
- Strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration
- Improve criminal justice effectiveness
- Expand access to services in high-need areas
Applications that clearly connect funding activities to improved victim outcomes are generally stronger.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid:
- Incomplete certifications or compliance documentation
- Weak coordination plans
- Insufficient attention to underserved communities
- Unclear funding allocation strategies
- Inadequate performance measurement plans
- Failure to address statutory requirements
- Poorly defined victim service components
- Weak stakeholder engagement
Careful planning and compliance are critical to a successful application.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the STOP Formula Grant Program?
It is a federal funding program that supports efforts to prevent and respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking through victim services, criminal justice improvements, and coordinated community responses.
How much funding is available?
Approximately USD 173.3 million is available under the Fiscal Year 2026 funding cycle.
Who can apply?
Only eligible state governments and territories may apply directly for funding.
What is the expected award range?
Individual awards are expected to range from approximately USD 617,000 to USD 16.4 million.
Is matching funding required?
Yes. Most recipients must provide a 25% non-federal match, although certain Tribal entities and qualifying victim service providers may be exempt.
What types of activities can be funded?
Eligible activities include law enforcement training, victim services, legal assistance, prosecution support, court improvements, statewide coordination, and services for underserved populations.
Does the program support Tribal communities?
Yes. The program specifically supports Tribal victim services, Tribal justice initiatives, and other activities benefiting Tribal communities.
Conclusion
The FY 2026 STOP Formula Grant Program provides critical federal funding to strengthen prevention, intervention, victim services, and criminal justice responses related to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. With approximately USD 173.3 million available, the program enables states and territories to improve victim safety, enhance offender accountability, expand services for underserved populations, and build coordinated systems that create safer communities across the United States.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.