OCVA Rape Prevention and Education Grant Program

The Office of Crime Victims Advocacy (OCVA), a part of the Washington State Department of Commerce, is offering funding through the Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) Competitive Grant Program. OCVA has been a dedicated advocate for crime victims in Washington since 1990, supporting community-based services and influencing policy at both local and state levels. This funding opportunity aligns with OCVA’s mission to prevent sexual violence through community-level public health strategies. The RPE grant aims to support primary prevention initiatives that reduce risk factors and strengthen protective factors associated with sexual violence. Applicants are encouraged to use a public health approach grounded in the social ecological model and to engage in community-level strategies. Priority is given to organizations with a background in gender-based violence prevention, health equity, and economic empowerment, particularly those serving culturally specific and underserved communities. A total of $284,255 in funding is available, with individual applicants eligible to request up to $112,000. Of the total funds, $112,000 is reserved exclusively for tribal entities. If no tribal applications are received, the funds will be reallocated to other community-based applicants. Projects may be new or continuations of existing work, but all must employ strategies focused on community-level change. Eligible proposals must address at least two intermediate risk and protective factors and demonstrate collaboration with multiple sectors. Applicants must submit a proposal by July 2, 2025, no later than 12:00 PM PST. Proposals must be submitted electronically in PDF or Excel format to OCVAgrantapplication@commerce.wa.gov with a specific subject line format. Attendance at a bidder’s conference on June 2, 2025, is optional but encouraged. All questions must be directed to RFP Coordinator Matthew Flores at Matthew.Flores@commerce.wa.gov. Answers to questions will be posted weekly until the deadline. Evaluation of proposals will be based on rationale, proposed services, agency capacity, budget, and employee compensation. Scoring emphasizes service delivery strategy, alignment with public health principles, and experience working with underserved populations. Final selections will be informed by geographic and program type diversity, past performance, and compliance with grant requirements. Successful applicants will be notified by July 23, 2025, with project implementation beginning August 1, 2025. All funded projects must adhere to strict guidelines regarding background checks, confidentiality, training, evaluation, and reporting. OCVA requires funded staff to work a minimum of 0.80 FTE, complete mandatory training, and use the InfoNet system for quarterly reporting. This is a reimbursement-based grant, and proposals must comply with federal cost principles as outlined in 2 CFR 200. Applicants may request a debrief if not selected and can file protests only after completing the debriefing process.