2025 Combatting Hate Crimes Grant Program

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is offering grant funds through its Combatting Hate Crimes Grant Program. This program aims to minimize bias-motivated incidents by providing competitive grants to local governments that have established partnerships with eligible non-profit, 501(c)3 institutions and organizations. These organizations are either current targets or at risk of being targets of hate crimes based on race, religious conviction, color, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or national origin. The broader mission of this initiative aligns with public safety and social justice, seeking to protect vulnerable communities and promote an inclusive environment free from bias-motivated violence. The primary beneficiaries of this program are local governments and their partner non-profit, 501(c)3 institutions, and similarly situated organizations within their jurisdictions. These organizations are at risk for targeted, bias-motivated violence. The impact goal is to reduce the occurrence of hate crimes by strengthening the security and resilience of these at-risk entities. Expected outcomes include enhanced physical and cybersecurity, improved staff preparedness to respond to incidents, and a decrease in vulnerabilities identified through threat assessments. The program strategically prioritizes localities that demonstrate a proactive approach to risk mitigation, specifically those that have conducted threat assessments with local crime prevention officers. The program's focus is on funding projects that enhance security and preparedness against hate crimes. This includes support for target hardening activities, critical technology and infrastructure, and security and monitoring equipment. Additionally, funds can be used for contractual security services, such as on-site security, cybersecurity activities, and inspection and screening systems. Training is also a key priority, encompassing security-related training for employed and volunteer staff, response to serious incidents, and terrorism awareness. Personnel funding is available for part-time staff dedicated to performing security assessments for non-profit organizations. The grant duration is a twelve-month period, from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025. The total funding available for the Combatting Hate Crimes Grant Program for the FY2025 fiscal year is $3,500,000, with a maximum request of $150,000 per locality. Success will be measured by the implementation of approved security enhancements, documented training completion, and the capacity building of non-profit organizations to identify and address vulnerabilities. The program's theory of change posits that by providing resources for enhanced security, training, and threat assessment, at-risk organizations will become less susceptible to bias-motivated violence, thereby contributing to a safer community for all.