OVC FY25 Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victim Assistance Formula Grant

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), operating under the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), has released the FY25 Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victim Assistance Formula Grant. This funding opportunity is structured as a formula grant program designed to enhance direct services for victims of crime. Established under statutory authority 34 U.S.C. § 20103(a), the grant seeks to distribute funds from the Crime Victims Fund to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, empowering them to make subawards to community-based organizations and public agencies that directly support victims of crime. The purpose is to bolster a wide range of services including but not limited to crisis counseling, shelter, legal advocacy, therapy, and referrals. The FY25 VOCA program has allocated a total of $1,267,586,252 for victim assistance. The funding is distributed using a combination of base amounts and population-driven calculations. States and most territories receive a base of $500,000, while smaller territories like the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa receive $200,000 each. Funds must be used exclusively for victim services, with up to 5 percent permissible for administrative and training costs. Strict limitations apply: funds may not be used to supplant existing public funding or impede federal immigration enforcement, and must comply with federal civil rights laws. Eligible applicants for this grant are limited to state governments, which are defined broadly to include all U.S. states and territories. While no matching funds are required at the state (recipient) level, match is mandated at the subrecipient level for most projects, in accordance with 28 C.F.R. 94.118. States are required to certify that subawards will be granted only to eligible victim assistance organizations and that allocations will include specific categories such as services for victims of sexual assault, child abuse, domestic violence, and underserved crime victims. The application process consists of two major steps. First, applicants must submit the SF-424 in Grants.gov by August 15, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Second, the full application must be submitted in JustGrants by August 20, 2025, at 8:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Registration with SAM.gov is required and should be initiated as early as possible, ideally no later than August 1, 2025. Required application components include a narrative describing the state administering agency and the goals for victim services, a statement of how administrative and training funds will be used, civil rights compliance contacts, subaward monitoring plans, and documented methodologies for selecting subrecipients. Evaluation will be based on completeness, consistency with VOCA goals, and readiness to deliver victim services. Performance reporting is mandatory, with quarterly reports submitted via the Performance Measurement Tool (PMT) and annual reports through JustGrants. No standalone deliverables are required beyond these post-award reports. Questions regarding this funding opportunity should be directed to the OJP Response Center at OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov or 800-851-3420. The anticipated period of performance starts on October 1, 2024, and lasts for 48 months. Award announcements are expected by September 30, 2025. Training resources and application guides are available through OVC's funding and JustGrants webpages.

Submit SF-424 early; Use OVC’s training and guidance; Ensure SAM.gov and JustGrants access is active