OVW Fiscal Year 2025 Sexual Assault Services Community-Based Services Program

The OVW Fiscal Year 2025 Sexual Assault Services – Community-based Services Program (SAS CSP) is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). OVW was created in 1995 to provide national leadership and to administer grant programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and subsequent legislation. Its mission centers on improving the nation’s capacity to prevent and respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. OVW supports coordinated community responses to ensure that victims receive comprehensive services while also holding offenders accountable. The SAS CSP specifically aims to establish, maintain, and expand sustainable, culturally specific intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault. The focus is on nonprofit organizations serving culturally specific communities, either with documented expertise in sexual assault intervention or in partnership with organizations that have this expertise. The program is designed to break down barriers that survivors face in accessing services, particularly by providing community-based, linguistically and culturally specific outreach and intervention relevant to the populations being served. Organizations are required to have an advisory board or steering committee, as well as staffing reflective of the community they intend to serve. Eligible applicants are private nonprofit organizations that focus primarily on culturally specific communities and can demonstrate at least three years of organizational experience in sexual assault intervention or can form a formal partnership with another organization with the required experience. The program explicitly includes faith-based and community-based organizations, provided they meet all eligibility requirements. All nonprofit applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations exempt from federal taxation. For organizations with fewer than three years of experience, partnership with a qualified entity is required, and partnership compensation is limited to $30,000 over the three-year award period. The scope of allowable activities under the grant includes 24-hour hotline services, accompaniment and advocacy through medical, criminal justice, and social support systems, crisis intervention, individual and group support services, direct payments (up to 5% of the award) for costs related to sexual assault, comprehensive service coordination, culturally specific outreach, and the development of related materials. Activities out of scope or unallowable include research projects, prevention campaigns, most training not specific to the organization’s direct services, awareness campaigns without tangible impact, and capital improvements or construction. Applications are submitted in two steps: First, the SF-424 form is submitted through Grants.gov, with a deadline of July 25, 2025, by 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Next, the full application is submitted through JustGrants by July 29, 2025, at 8:59 PM Eastern Time. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a Letter of Intent by July 7, 2025, but it is not required. Award notifications are expected by November 1, 2025. Applicants must be registered in SAM.gov and Grants.gov before submission. The program expects to make up to 20 awards with a maximum award of $380,000 per grantee, for a 36-month project period. There is no matching or cost-sharing requirement. OVW anticipates a total program funding amount of $7,850,000. Application requirements include a proposal narrative, budget and budget narrative, summary data sheet, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Memorandum of Exemption (MOE), proof of nonprofit status, certification letters, and other standard forms and disclosures. Evaluation of applications will be based on responsiveness to criteria detailed in the NOFO, completeness, and demonstrated organizational capacity. Applications will undergo a peer review and a programmatic review, considering past performance and statutory priorities such as combatting human trafficking or addressing needs in rural and underserved areas. OVW provides technical assistance for applicants and support for the application process. For questions or help, applicants can contact OVW at 202-307-6026 or OVW.SASP.Cultural@usdoj.gov. Additional assistance is available for registration and system access through the helpdesks for SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and JustGrants. Recipients must comply with federal civil rights and nondiscrimination laws, and must submit regular performance and financial reports post-award. Full application materials and guidance documents are available on the OVW and Grants.gov websites.

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