DOJ Simplifies Application Process for Many Tribal Funding Opportunities: In October 2009, DOJ gathered tribal leaders to get feedback on their issues and concerns. Attorney General Eric Holder emphasized the Department’s commitment to a sustained partnership with tribal governments in an effort to improve tribal safety and services to victims. Tribal leaders expressed the need for DOJ to improve its grant-making process. In response, the Department has released the FY 2010 Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, which streamlines the application process: tribes need now only submit one application for all funding opportunities in the solicitation, which includes OVC's Tribal Elder Outreach Program. Note that only federally-recognized tribal governments and Alaska Native villages are eligible for funding.

The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) administers the Crime Victims Fund (established under the 1984 Victims of Crime Act) to help victims and victim service providers with program funding in accordance with OVC's Program Plan for the fiscal year.

Visit Current Funding Opportunities for a list of all open and anticipated discretionary grant applications available from OVC.

Learn more about OVC's programs, services, and grants with these Web resources:

• National Conference Support Program—competitive program supporting national conferences on victims' issues by providing resources or funds to underwrite activities.
  
  
• Formula Grants—Brief description of the Victim Compensation and Victim Assistance programs.
  
  
• Formula Grant Applications—Instructions for VOCA Administrators to apply online for OVC formula grants.
  
  
• Discretionary Grants—Brief description of the discretionary grant program, including the discretionary grant program for Indian Country—the Children's Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities (CJA) Grant Program.


• Discretionary Toolbox—A one-stop resource where current and potential recipients of OVC discretionary funding can find information on current funding opportunities, compliance and monitoring requirements, financial information, and more.
  
  
• Forms—Explains required application and reporting forms and offers downloadable copies.
  
  
• Our VOCA Resources at Work—State-by-state information on the use of Victim Compensation and Victim Assistance funds.
  
  
• Other Funding Resources—Links to grant-related and resource management information such as grant announcements, funding reference publications, and volunteer efforts management.

Formula Grants

OVC awards formula grants to states according to formulas established in VOCA. OVC distributes approximately 90 percent of the money collected by the Fund in the form of two major formula grant programs to state agencies: Victim Compensation and Victim Assistance.

OVC awards these grants in accordance with VOCA, the Victim Compensation Guidelines (PDF 70 kb), the Victim Assistance Guidelines and the OJP Financial Guide.

Discretionary Grants

Under its discretionary grant program, OVC has some flexibility in the topics and grantees it selects. VOCA authorizes OVC to make discretionary grants to improve and enhance the quality and availability of victim services. Such grants can be awarded to states, local units of government, individuals, educational institutions, private nonprofit organizations, and private commercial organizations. Discretionary awards typically (but not always) are competitive. Discretionary funds support a wide range of activities, programs, and services, including initiatives that address

• Federal crime victims—such as training federal criminal justice system personnel on victims' issues, developing materials that help federal victims understand their rights and available services, and supporting programs that establish and expand existing services for federal crime victims.
  
  
• Promising practices—such as development of training curricula for victim services and criminal justice professionals, identification and dissemination of promising practices in victim services, and support for and evaluation of demonstration programs.
  
  
• Indian Country—the Children's Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities (CJA) Grant Program funnel resources to Indian tribes to develop, establish, and operate programs to improve the investigation, prosecution, and handling of child abuse cases, particularly cases of child sexual abuse, in a manner that limits additional trauma to child victims. The Tribal Victim Assistance (TVA) discretionary grant program (an expansion of the former Victim Assistance in Indian Country grant program) makes grant awards available to Indian tribes and tribal organizations to establish victim assistance programs in remote areas of Indian Country.
  
  
• Terrorism and mass violence crimes—to compensate and assist victims of terrorism and mass violence that occurred either within or outside the United States. Services and other support to meet the immediate and extended needs of victims and communities include crisis response, consequence management, criminal justice support, crime victim compensation, and training and technical assistance.

Additional information about discretionary grants, from the funding process to application procedures and forms, is available on the OVC Discretionary Toolbox.

OVC does not exercise control over external Web sites.
Read the Web site links disclaimer.

Other Funding Resources

Information about other potential sources of project funding and resource management for victim services:

Funding (general)

Grants.gov—The electronic storefront for federal grants.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance—Lists all types of federal grant programs in an online, searchable database.

Faith-based Initiative/Compassion Capital Fund (CCF)—Helps faith-based and community organizations increase their effectiveness and enhance their ability to provide social services to serve those most in need. CCF opportunities are administered through the Demonstration Program and the Targeted Capacity Building Program.

Funding Opportunities at OJP—Lists grants by source, forms, and related information.

Notices of Funding Availability/Search—Allows users to generate customized listings for funding announcements that appeared in the Federal Register.

Resource Management

Foundation Center—Offers grantseekers an online database of training seminars, grant writing tips, and public access to its 9/11 Funding Database.

Gifts Inkind—Offers nonprofits (with 501 (c)(3) federal tax exempt status) donations of office supplies, equipment, consumer products, and building materials (including used computers).

Nonprofit Manager Library—Offers a library for nonprofits on categories such as volunteers, fundraising, and creativity and innovation.

Points of Light Foundation—Offers a searchable database by ZIP code or state to find local volunteer centers.

Techsoup.org—Offers fundraising and technology-related information for nonprofits.

The Office for Victims of Crime is a component of
the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.