Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 10441(b), funds under this program must be used for one or more of the following purposes.

1. Training law enforcement officers, judges, other court personnel, and prosecutors to more effectively identify and respond to violent crimes against women, including the crimes of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, including the appropriate use of nonimmigrant status under subparagraphs (T) and (U) of section 1101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(15)).
2. Developing, training, or expanding units of law enforcement officers, judges, other court personnel, and prosecutors specifically targeting violent crimes against women, including the crimes of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.
3. Developing and implementing more effective police, court, and prosecution policies, protocols, orders, and services specifically devoted to preventing, identifying, and responding to violent crimes against women, including the crimes of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, as well as the appropriate treatment of victims, including implementation of the grant conditions in section 40002(b)of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. § 12291(b)).
4. Developing, installing, or expanding data collection and communication systems, including computerized systems, linking police, prosecutors, and courts or for the purpose of identifying, classifying, and tracking arrests, protection orders, violations of protection orders, prosecutions, and convictions for violent crimes against women, including the crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
5. Developing, enlarging, or strengthening victim services and legal assistance programs, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking programs, developing or improving delivery of victim services and legal assistance to underserved populations, providing specialized domestic violence court advocates in courts where a significant number of protection orders are granted, and increasing reporting and reducing attrition rates for cases involving violent crimes against women, including crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
6. Developing, enlarging, or strengthening programs addressing the needs and circumstances of Indian tribes in dealing with violent crimes against women, including the crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
7. Supporting formal and informal statewide, multidisciplinary efforts, to the extent not supported by state funds, to coordinate the response of state law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, courts, victim services agencies, and other state agencies and departments, to violent crimes against women, including the crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
8. Training of sexual assault forensic medical personnel examiners in the collection and preservation of evidence, analysis, prevention, and providing expert testimony and treatment of trauma related to sexual assault.
9. Developing, enlarging, or strengthening programs to assist law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and others to address the needs and circumstances of individuals 50 years of age and over, individuals with disabilities, and Deaf individuals who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, including recognizing, investigating, and prosecuting instances of such violence or assault and targeting outreach and support, counseling, legal assistance and other victim services to such individuals.
10. Providing assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in immigration matters.
11. Maintaining core victim services and criminal justice initiatives, while supporting complementary new initiatives and emergency services for victims and their families including rehabilitative work with offenders.
12. Supporting the placement of special victim assistants (to be known as “Jessica Gonzales Victim Assistants”) in local law enforcement agencies to serve as liaisons between victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and personnel in local law enforcement agencies in order to improve the enforcement of protection orders. Jessica Gonzales Victim Assistants shall have expertise in domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking and may undertake the following activities:
    1. developing, in collaboration with prosecutors, courts, and victim service providers, standardized response policies for local law enforcement agencies, including the use of evidence-based indicators to assess the risk of domestic and dating violence homicide and prioritize dangerous or potentially lethal cases;
    2. notifying persons seeking enforcement of protection orders as to what responses will be provided by the relevant law enforcement agency;
    3. referring persons seeking enforcement of protection orders to supplementary services (such as emergency shelter programs, hotlines, or legal assistance services); and
    4. taking other appropriate action to assist or secure the safety of the person seeking enforcement of a protection order.
13. Providing funding to law enforcement agencies, victim services providers, and state, tribal, territorial, and local governments (which funding stream shall be known as the Crystal Judson Domestic Violence Protocol Program) to promote:
    1. the development and implementation of training for local victim domestic violence service providers, and to fund victim services personnel, to be known as “Crystal Judson Victim Advocates,” to provide supportive services and advocacy for victims of domestic violence committed by law enforcement personnel;
    2. the implementation of protocols within law enforcement agencies to ensure consistent and effective responses to the commission of domestic violence by personnel within such agencies such as the model policy promulgated by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (“Domestic Violence by Police Officers: A Policy of the IACP, Police Response to Violence Against Women Project” July 2003)); and
    3. the development of such protocols in collaboration with state, tribal, territorial, local victim services providers, and domestic violence coalitions.
    4. Any law enforcement, state, tribal, territorial, or local government agency receiving funding under the Crystal Judson Domestic Violence Protocol Program, and any subgrantee of such an agency, shall (1) on an annual basis receive specialized training on the topic of incidents of domestic violence committed by law enforcement personnel from domestic violence and sexual assault nonprofit organizations and (2) provide a report of the adopted protocol to the Department of Justice, including a summary of progress in implementing such protocol, once every two (2) years.
14. Developing and promoting state, local, or tribal legislation and policies that enhance best practices for responding to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
15. Developing, implementing, or enhancing Sexual Assault Response Teams, or other similar coordinated community responses to sexual assault.
16. Developing and strengthening policies, protocols, best practices, and training for law enforcement agencies and prosecutors relating to the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault cases and the appropriate treatment of victims.
17. Developing, enlarging, or strengthening programs addressing sexual assault against men, women, and youth in correctional and detention settings.
18. Identifying and conducting inventories of backlogs of sexual assault evidence collection kits and developing protocols and policies for responding to and addressing such backlogs, including protocols and policies for notifying and involving victims.
19. Developing, enlarging, or strengthening programs and projects to provide services and responses targeting male and female victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, whose ability to access traditional services and responses is affected by their sexual orientation or gender identity, as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 249(c).
20. Developing, enhancing, or strengthening prevention and educational programming to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or female genital mutilation or cutting, with not more than 5 percent of the amount allocated to a state to be used for this purpose.
21. Developing, enhancing, or strengthening programs and projects to improve evidence collection methods for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, including through funding for technology that better detects bruising and injuries across skin tones and related training.
22. Developing, enlarging, or strengthening culturally specific victim services programs to provide culturally specific victim services and responses to female genital mutilation or cutting.
23. Providing victim advocates in State or local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors’ offices, and courts and providing supportive services and advocacy to Indian victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
24. Paying any fees charged by any governmental authority for furnishing a victim or the child of a victim with any of the following documents:
    1. A birth certificate or passport of the individual, as required by law.
    2. An identification card issued to the person by a state or Tribe, that shows that the person is a resident of the State or member of the Tribe.

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 domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and/or stalking;
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 domestic violence and sexual assault; and
3. Proposals submitted by units of local government and public agencies that certify compliance with federal immigration law, including 8 U.S.C. § 1373.

The activities listed below are out of the program scope, and they will not be supported by this program’s funding.

Applicants proposing activities described below will be asked to remove them from the application and, as a result, may experience a delay in access to funds. Applicants must also ensure that any subcontractors or subrecipients do not offer any of the activities described below:

Activities That Compromise Victim Safety and Recovery and Undermine Offender Accountability

Activities that jeopardize victim safety, deter or prevent physical or emotional healing for victims, or allow offenders to escape responsibility for their actions. Below are lists of these activities:

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.

Out-of-Scope Activities

The activities listed below are out of the program scope and will not be funded.

1. Research projects.
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 an Executive Order.
12. Activities addressing human trafficking unrelated to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
13. Activities addressing Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) unrelated to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
14. Services to victims under the age of eleven (11).

Note: Recipients and subrecipients should serve all eligible victims as required by statute, regulation, or award condition.

Other Unallowable Costs

Grant funds under this program may not be used for the following:

1. Lobbying, except with explicit statutory authorization.
2. 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.
3. Purchase of real property.
4. Physical modifications to buildings, including minor renovations (such as painting or carpeting).
5. Construction.
6. Purchase of vehicles.
7. Direct financial assistance to a client such as cash, gift cards, or checks.
8. Alcohol, food (except emergency food for victims), and entertainment costs.
9. Immigration fees.

Activities Requiring Prior Approval

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

There is a 25% match requirement imposed on grant funds under this program for government entities. If the applicant agency is a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that is recognized by the IRS under section 501(c)3 of Title 26, the match requirement is waived. If the non-profit is providing services in the law enforcement or prosecutor category (e.g., training law enforcement officers), match is required and must be provided by the state. The nonprofit can voluntarily provide match to meet this requirement on behalf of the state.

Step 1: Award Amount ÷ % of Federal Share = Total Project Cost

Step 2: Total Project Cost - Award Amount = Required Match

Example: A grant recipient is awarded $150,000 in federal funding. The match requirement is an 75/25 ratio (federal percentage/recipient percentage).

$150,000 ÷ .75 = $200,000 Total Project Cost

$200,000 - $150,000 = $50,000 Required Match

Additionally, matching funds must:

• Be verifiable from the subgrantee’s records;
• Not be included as contributions for any other federal award;
• Be necessary and reasonable for the accomplishment of the project or program objectives;
• Be allowable under 2 C.F.R. 200.400;
• Not be paid by the federal government under another federal award, except where authorized by federal statute;
• Be included in the subgrantee’s approved budget; and
• Conform to all other provisions of 2 C.F.R. Part 200.

Match is restricted to the same use of funds as allowed for federal funds. If an expenditure is not allowable with federal funds, it is not allowable with match funds. Applicants must identify all sources of the non-federal portion of the total project costs (i.e., match funds), and applicants must explain how the match funds will be used in the budget narrative section of the application within IntelliGrants.

• VAWA Definitions
• Definitions and Grant Provisions
• FAQs on Nondiscrimination Grant Condition in the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2013
• VAWA Tools and Resources
• STOP Requirements Certification
• STOP Sample Reporting Form