National Domestic Violence Hotline

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and its Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services (OFVPS), has released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled “National Domestic Violence Hotline,” under funding opportunity number HHS-2025-ACF-OFVPS-EV-0032. This opportunity is authorized under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), 42 U.S.C. §10413(d), and aims to award a cooperative agreement to a private nonprofit organization to operate a 24-hour, confidential, national hotline for victims and survivors of family, domestic, and dating violence. The deadline for application submission is July 22, 2025, with an anticipated project start date of September 30, 2025. The FVPSA is the primary federal funding source dedicated to providing emergency shelter and support services for victims of domestic and dating violence. It also funds public awareness campaigns, training, technical assistance, and culturally and linguistically responsive services. A critical component of FVPSA is the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which offers 24-hour toll-free access to information, crisis intervention, and referrals to local resources. The selected grantee must demonstrate a longstanding history of high-quality, round-the-clock service provision for victims across the nation and must maintain a comprehensive, up-to-date referral database. Eligible applicants must be nonprofit private organizations with demonstrable expertise in family, domestic, or dating violence, including providing assistance to victims and maintaining a hotline. Applicants must also prove their ability to ensure accessibility, particularly for underserved populations, including non-English speakers, people with disabilities, and elderly individuals. Strong adherence to confidentiality and nondisclosure policies is required, and applicants must comply with all relevant provisions of FVPSA and applicable federal regulations. Individuals, sole proprietorships, and foreign entities are not eligible to apply. Key components of the application must include a plan for hotline staffing and training, multilingual and disability-accessible service provisions, collaboration with local and national partners, a public outreach strategy, and data collection and performance evaluation systems. The grantee will be expected to maintain and analyze caller feedback, support youth and teen-specific outreach, and work closely with OFVPS to ensure alignment with national strategies and service standards. The hotline should also support referrals for perpetrators of abuse where safe and appropriate and contribute to national awareness efforts like Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Funding for this opportunity is substantial, with a total estimated amount of $16,989,375 available per budget period. The project has a 60-month duration, broken into five 12-month budget periods. Applicants should submit all materials electronically via Grants.gov, and paper submissions will only be accepted with prior approval. The application package must include required forms such as SF-424, certifications, proof of nonprofit status, project description, logic model, and detailed budget justifications. Applications must follow strict formatting rules and should be concise, double-spaced, and organized for reviewer clarity. Evaluation criteria will weigh heavily on the applicant's ability to demonstrate service expertise, technical and organizational capacity, commitment to accessibility, collaboration with diverse partners, and readiness to begin operations without disruption. Scoring will also reflect the strength of proposed dissemination strategies, budget accuracy, and data-driven performance measurement plans. Contact information for this opportunity includes Laura Fabius (Laura.Fabius@acf.hhs.gov, 202-205-8421) for program-related questions and Janice Realeza (Janice.Realeza@acf.hhs.gov, 215-861-4007) for grants management.

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