Violence Against Women Act

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) 2025 Request for Applications is administered by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s Governor’s Crime Commission (GCC). This program is funded through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), under CFDA #16.588. The VAWA STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Formula Grant Program aims to improve the criminal justice system’s response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and related crimes against women. The program also includes support for victims of human trafficking when the violence is intimate-partner related or involves sexual assault. VAWA STOP supports partnerships across law enforcement, courts, prosecution, and victim services, and emphasizes a multidisciplinary, coordinated response to gender-based violence. The 2025 VAWA funding opportunity prioritizes several service areas, including victim services, law enforcement, prosecution, state and local courts, and discretionary projects. Discretionary funds are designated for programs such as court-sanctioned domestic violence intervention programs (DVIPs), prevention initiatives, and efforts addressing domestic violence firearm homicide reduction. Funded projects must align with at least one of thirteen statutory purpose areas, including training personnel, developing effective law enforcement responses, enhancing victim services and legal assistance, and supporting culturally specific and underserved populations. Applicants are also encouraged to adopt evidence-based practices and collaborative models that address the needs of diverse communities. Eligible applicants include state and local government agencies, Indian tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, legal services programs, courts, local law enforcement agencies, and victim service providers. Faith-based and culturally specific organizations may apply provided they meet inclusion criteria. Programs serving racial and ethnic minorities must submit a culturally specific verification form. Similarly, legal services organizations must meet specific training and partnership standards. All applicants must demonstrate a history of effective service delivery in the area of domestic violence or sexual assault and provide supporting documentation. Applications must be submitted through the GCC's Enterprise Business Services (EBS) online grant management platform. Access requires an NCID account and appropriate role-based assignments. Required components include a project narrative, budget, match documentation (if applicable), and organization- and project-specific certifications. Nonprofits must submit IRS Form 990 and board documentation. Additional attachments include memoranda of understanding for partnerships, pre-contract forms, supply and travel plans, and any forms relevant to the applicant’s category (e.g., DV intervention, legal services, culturally specific focus). The application window for this competitive opportunity opens on December 1, 2025, and closes on January 31, 2026, at 11:59 PM. Applicants may only submit one application per funding priority. A 25% matching requirement applies to state and local government agencies, though nonprofit victim service providers and tribal governments are exempt. Successful applicants will receive a three-year award beginning October 1, 2026. Year two and three budgets will be submitted annually for review and extension within EBS. Maximum request amounts vary by service area, with caps ranging from $55,000 to $200,000 depending on project type. All awards are contingent on federal funding availability and subject to modification based on federal or state policy changes. Funded programs will be required to provide annual progress reports and performance data through the EBS system. Agencies must comply with applicable federal and state regulations, including civil rights laws, financial reporting standards, and confidentiality protections for survivors. For additional support, applicants may contact Daun Brown-Hairston, Lead VAWA Planner, at daun.brown-hairston@ncdps.gov.

Use evidence-based interventions, justify budget and match clearly, and prepare all required attachments before submission.