Deadline: 29 January 2020
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) is seeking applications for its 2020 Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program that is intended to increase the availability of civil and criminal legal assistance needed to effectively aid adult and youth victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking who are seeking relief in legal matters relating to or arising out of that abuse or violence, at minimum or no cost to the victims.
LAV Grant Program funds may not be used provide criminal defense services. Grant funds may be used to provide direct legal services to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking in matters related to or arising out of that abuse or violence. The objective of the LAV Grant Program is to develop innovative, collaborative projects that provide quality representation to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.
Purpose Areas
Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 20121(c), funds under this program must be used for one or more of the following purposes:
- To implement, expand, and establish cooperative efforts and projects between domestic violence, dating violence, and sexual assault victim service providers and legal assistance providers to provide legal assistance for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault.
- To implement, expand, and establish efforts and projects to provide legal assistance for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault by organizations with a demonstrated history of providing direct legal or advocacy services on behalf of these victims.
- To implement, expand, and establish efforts and projects to provide competent supervised pro bono legal assistance for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, except that not more than 10 percent of the funds awarded may be used for this purpose.
OVW Priority Areas
In FY 2020, OVW is interested in supporting the priority areas identified below. Applications proposing activities in the following areas will be given special consideration:
- Empower victims to become survivors by growing them past their vulnerabilities to a place of self-sufficiency.
- Increase efforts to combat stalking.
- Address the specific challenges that rural communities face in responding to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
Award Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $34,000,000
- Award Ceiling: $800,000
- Award Floor: $600,000
Eligible Applicants
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=322640