OVW Fiscal Year 2025 Restorative Practices Pilot Sites Program

The U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), was established in 1995 to implement the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and subsequent legislation. OVW provides national leadership to improve responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Through its funding opportunities, OVW supports coordinated community-based approaches to enhance victim safety and hold offenders accountable. The Fiscal Year 2025 Restorative Practices Pilot Sites Program is one such initiative designed to expand innovative approaches to addressing harm outside of traditional legal systems. The Restorative Practices Pilot Sites Program offers funding for up to 48 months to strengthen, enhance, and expand existing restorative practice programs. These programs must focus on preventing or addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Restorative practices under this program are defined by statute at 34 U.S.C. § 12514(a)(3) as community-based, victim-initiated processes conducted outside of civil or criminal legal systems. The practices must be voluntary, inclusive of both victims and individuals who caused harm, and must emphasize accountability, safety, and community participation. The total anticipated funding for the FY 2025 program is $23 million, with an estimated 23 awards of up to $1 million each. Award periods will last 48 months, beginning on January 1, 2026. Awards will be made as cooperative agreements, meaning OVW will be actively involved in planning and implementation. Applicants must budget for a required planning year with $300,000 allocated to initial activities including staffing a full-time site coordinator, conducting assessments, and participating in training. Remaining funds may be accessed after OVW approves planning deliverables. Eligible applicants include Indian tribal governments, tribal organizations, tribal nonprofit organizations, units of local government, institutions of higher education, victim service providers, and other private or public nonprofit organizations, including faith-based groups. Applicants must demonstrate expertise both in providing direct victim services and in implementing restorative practices, or submit a Memorandum of Understanding or Letter of Experience to show required capacity. Ineligible entities include police departments, district attorneys’ offices, and shelters, among others. Applicants from FY 2024 under this program, including pilot sites and evaluators, are not eligible for FY 2025 awards. Applications must be submitted through a two-step process. The SF-424 must be filed in Grants.gov by October 14, 2025, and the full application must be submitted in JustGrants by October 16, 2025. A Letter of Intent is optional and may be submitted by September 30, 2025. Applicants should review the NOFO’s formatting requirements and include required documents such as a proposal narrative, budget narrative, memorandum of understanding or letter of experience, and certifications. OVW will not review incomplete applications. Applications will be evaluated on criteria including program purpose, implementation plan, organizational capacity, budget, and compliance with statutory requirements. Notifications of funding decisions are expected by January 2, 2026. Program requirements include participating in OVW-sponsored training and technical assistance, collecting and reporting performance indicators, participating in evaluations, and attending annual grantee meetings. Funded projects must adhere to statutory limitations, including prohibitions on restorative practices involving minors harmed by adults, practices connected to legal processes, or practices that compromise victim safety. Recipients must also comply with all reporting, fiscal management, and federal administrative requirements. For questions, applicants may contact OVW at 202-307-6026 or via email at OVW.RestorativeJustice@usdoj.gov. Assistance is also available through SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and JustGrants help desks. Pre-recorded pre-application information sessions will be available online on September 18, 2025. OVW encourages early registration in all required systems to avoid technical delays. This program represents a significant federal investment in expanding victim-centered, community-driven approaches to addressing violence outside of the traditional justice system.