Sexual Assault Services Program

States and territories are encouraged to develop and support projects, to the extent consistent with the program’s authorizing statute, that substantively address one or more of the priorities listed below:

1. Measures to combat human trafficking and transnational crime, particularly crimes linked to illegal immigration and cartel operations, that support safety and justice for trafficking victims who have also suffered sexual assault.
2. Projects to provide victim services, especially housing, and improve law enforcement response in rural and remote areas, Tribal nations, and small towns that often lack resources to effectively combat sexual assault.

Out-of-scope Activities

The activities listed below are out of the program scope, and they will not be supported by this program’s funding. Applicants must certify that grant funds will not be used for the out-of-scope activities listed, except for those stayed by order of the court in Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, et al., v. Pamela Bondi, et al. The stayed out-of-scope activities are listed as numbers 2-5, 7-9, and 11. These terms are not enforceable as to this SASP 2026 award unless and until the preliminary stay is lifted.

1. Research projects. Funds under this program may not be used to conduct research, defined in 28 C.F.R. § 46.102(d) as a systematic investigation designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. However, assessments conducted for quality assurance and internal improvement purposes only may be allowable. Examples of assessments include surveying training participants about the quality of training content and delivery, or convening a listening session to identify service gaps in the community.
2. Promoting or facilitating the violation of federal immigration law.
3. Inculcating or promoting gender ideology as defined in Executive Order 14168, Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.
4. Promoting or facilitating discriminatory programs or ideology, including illegal DEI and “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility” programs that do not advance the policy of equal dignity and respect, as described in Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity. This prohibition is not intended to interfere with any of OVW’s statutory obligations, such as funding for HBCUs, culturally specific services, and disability programs.
5. Activities that frame domestic violence or sexual assault as systemic social justice issues rather than criminal offenses (e.g., prioritizing criminal justice reform or social justice theories over victim safety and offender accountability).
6. Generic community engagement or economic development without a clear link to violence prevention, victim safety, or offender accountability.
7. Programs that discourage collaboration with law enforcement or oppose or limit the role of police, prosecutors, or immigration enforcement in addressing violence against women.
8. Awareness campaigns or media that do not lead to tangible improvements in prevention, victim safety, or offender accountability.
9. Initiatives that prioritize illegal aliens over U.S. citizens and legal residents in receiving victim services and support.
10. Excessive funding for consulting fees, training, administrative costs, or other expenses not related to measurable violence prevention, victim support, and offender accountability.
11. Any activity or program that unlawfully violates a federal Executive Order.
12. Activities addressing human trafficking unrelated to sexual assault.
13. Activities addressing Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) unrelated to sexual assault.
14. Activities focused on prevention efforts and public education (e.g., bystander intervention, social norms campaigns, presentations on healthy relationships, etc.).
15. Criminal justice-related projects, including law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and forensic interviews.
16. Sexual Assault Forensic Medical Examiner programs.
17. Sexual Assault Response Team coordination.
18. Providing training to allied professionals and the community (e.g., law enforcement, child protection services, prosecution, other community-based organizations, etc.).
19. Domestic violence services unrelated to sexual violence.
20. Legal services.

Unallowable Activities

• Education and prevention activities;
• Trainings on sexual assault for other professionals or the development of training curricula.
• Sexual Assault Response Teams (SART) Coordination.
• Activities that are conducted by or inherent to the criminal justice system such as sexual assault nurse/forensic examiner programs, law enforcement investigation, and/or prosecution of sex crimes.

This grant program does not fund activities that jeopardize victim safety, deter, or prevent physical or emotional healing for victims, or allow offenders to escape responsibility for their actions. The following activities have been found to jeopardize victim safety, deter, or prevent physical or emotional healing for victims, or allow offenders to escape responsibility for their actions. In planning a SASP proposal, please ensure that these activities are not included:

1. Procedures or policies that exclude eligible victims from receiving services based on the classifications identified in 34 U.S.C. § 12291(b)(13)(A) or their actual or perceived mental or physical health condition, criminal record, employment history or status, income or lack of income, or the age and/or sex of their children.
2. Procedures or policies that compromise the confidentiality of information and/or privacy of victims.
3. Procedures or policies that require victims to take certain actions (e.g., seek an order of protection; receive counseling; participate in counseling, mediation, or restorative justice/circle processes; report to law enforcement or other authorities; seek civil or criminal remedies) or penalize them for failing to do so.
4. Procedures or policies that fail to include conducting safety planning with victims.
5. Project designs, products, services, and/or budgets that fail to account for the unique needs of individuals with disabilities, with limited English proficiency, or who are Deaf or hard of hearing, including accessibility for such individuals.
6. Using technology without addressing implications for victim confidentiality, safety planning, and the need for informed consent.
7. Partnering with individuals or organizations that support/promote practices that compromise victim safety and recovery or undermine offender accountability.
8. Materials that are not tailored to the dynamics of sexual assault or to the specific population(s) to be addressed by the project.
9. Policies that deny individuals access to services based on their relationship to the perpetrator.

Activities Requiring Prior Approval

Surveys: Recipients must receive prior approval before using grant funds to support surveys, regardless of their purpose.

The following budget items listed below are ineligible and will not be supported by this program’s funding:

• Food and beverages except emergency food and beverages for victims.
• Lobbying.
• Fundraising (including financial campaigns, endowment drives, solicitation of gifts and bequests, and similar expenses incurred solely to raise capital or obtain contributions) and time spent procuring funding including completing federal and state funding applications.
• Purchase of real estate or vehicles.
• Construction and physical modification to buildings, including minor renovations (such as painting or carpeting).

Administrative costs are an allowable expense but are limited to 10% of the total grant-funded budget. Administrative costs include time to complete SASP required time and attendance sheets and programmatic documentation, reports, and required statistics; administrative time to collect and maintain satisfaction surveys; and needs assessments used to improve services delivery within the SASP-funded project.

The activities and associated costs for the activities below are allowable.

• 24-hour hotline services providing crisis intervention services and referral;
• Accompaniment and advocacy through medical, criminal justice, and social support systems, including medical facilities, police, and court proceedings;
• Crisis intervention, short-term individual and group support services, direct payments, and comprehensive service coordination and supervision to assist sexual assault victims and family or household members;
• Information and referral to assist sexual assault victims and family or household members;
• Community-based, culturally specific services and support mechanisms, including outreach activities for underserved communities; and
• Development and distribution of materials on issues related to the services described above.
• If applicant is requesting reimbursement for equipment or supplies, the applicant shall reveal in their application and budget narrative whether they are purchasing, renting, or leasing all listed and proposed equipment or supplies. The applicant shall comply with 2 C.F.R. § 200.216 when renting, purchasing, or leasing any telecommunications, video surveillance systems and service, or equipment. The applicant shall comply with 2 C.F.R. § 200.465 regarding the lease and or rental of real property and equipment.

Direct payments to victims and their family or household members must be for costs related to the sexual assault. OVW encourages payments to be paid to vendors directly. Examples of costs that direct payments may cover include, but are not limited to:

• Replacement bedding, clothing, or other household items;
• Securing new or temporary housing, including paying a security deposit, first month’s rent, or moving expenses;
• Travel expenses;
• Childcare expenses;
• Emergency food, including culturally appropriate food;
• Utility assistance (other than utilities in arrears); and
• Security measures such as re-keying locks, replacing a cell phone, or purchasing a motion detector or security camera that does not require installation (see funding restrictions on minor renovations).

• Preventing Sexual Assault in Disasters
• Working with Teen Survivors of Sexual Assault
• Holistic Healing for Survivors
• Holistic Healing Research Addendum
• SASP Sample Reporting Form