OVW Fiscal Year 2025 Training and Services to End Violence and Abuse Against Individuals with Disabilities and Deaf People Program

The U.S. Department of Justice, through its Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), is administering the Fiscal Year 2025 Training and Services to End Violence and Abuse Against Individuals with Disabilities and Deaf People Program. OVW was created in 1995 to implement the provisions of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and subsequent legislation. Its mission includes providing national leadership on issues of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. OVW supports community-based programs designed to ensure that survivors have access to critical services while holding offenders accountable. This grant program is authorized by 34 U.S.C. § 20122 and continues the agency’s commitment to addressing the specific needs of underserved populations. The Disability Grant Program seeks to support projects that improve the capacity of organizations to address violence against individuals with disabilities and Deaf people. The funding is directed toward training, consultation, and the provision of information regarding domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and abuse by caregivers. Funds may also be used to enhance the quality and accessibility of direct services provided to survivors with disabilities and Deaf individuals. Purpose areas include personnel support, technical assistance, outreach, cross-training for victim service organizations and first responders, facility modifications, advocacy and intervention services, and the development of model programs. All projects must address at least one of the program’s defined purpose areas, and any project addressing facility modification must also address an additional purpose area. The expected total funding available under this opportunity is $12,000,000. Approximately 20 awards are anticipated, each with a maximum ceiling of $600,000. The award period is 36 months, and OVW retains discretion to adjust the amount and negotiate the scope of work. All budgets must clearly link proposed activities to expenditures, provide sufficient resources for accessibility (including a required $10,000 set-aside for services for individuals with disabilities or Deaf people), and include funds for mandatory OVW training and technical assistance. Awards will be made in the form of grants, and recipients are required to participate in performance data collection and evaluation activities. Eligible applicants include state governments, units of local government, Indian tribal governments, tribal organizations, nonprofit victim service providers, and nonprofit nongovernmental organizations with 501(c)(3) status serving individuals with disabilities and Deaf people. Projects must be implemented at the state or local level; regional, national, or multi-state projects are not eligible. A key requirement is the inclusion of at least two formal partners: one victim service provider and one disability- or Deaf-serving organization. Applicants must document these partnerships through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by all relevant partners. Applications submitted without these required partners will be deemed ineligible. Applications are submitted in two parts. Applicants must first submit the SF-424 form via Grants.gov by September 23, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The full application, including the narrative, budget, and all required attachments, must then be submitted in JustGrants by September 25, 2025, at 8:59 p.m. Eastern Time. OVW anticipates notifying applicants of award decisions on or about October 1, 2025. Required application components include a proposal narrative, a detailed budget with justification, and a signed Memorandum of Understanding. Additional mandatory attachments include a certification regarding out-of-scope activities, a letter of nonsupplanting, proof of 501(c)(3) status for nonprofits, a confidentiality notice form, and disclosures where applicable. Applications will be reviewed through both a peer review process and a programmatic review conducted by OVW. Reviewers will evaluate proposals based on the clarity of the narrative, the alignment of proposed activities with program goals, the qualifications of the applicant and partners, and the feasibility of the budget. Points may be deducted for proposals that include unallowable costs, propose activities outside the program’s scope, or fail to meet technical requirements. Past performance will also be considered. High-risk applicants or those with unresolved audit issues may be excluded from funding consideration. Applicants seeking technical support during the submission process may contact the OVW Disabilities Program staff at 202-307-6026 or by email at OVW.Disabilities@usdoj.gov. Additional system support is available through SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and JustGrants, each with its respective help desk and support channels. All required application materials and templates are available on the OVW website. Successful applicants will be required to comply with OVW’s reporting requirements, including semiannual performance reports and quarterly financial reports, as well as all administrative and policy requirements outlined in the DOJ Financial Guide.