Deadline: 20 December 2019

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) is accepting applications for its Training and Services to End Violence Against Women with Disabilities Grant Program.

The goal of the Disability Grant Program (DGP) is to create sustainable change within and between organizations that improves the response to individuals with disabilities and Deaf individuals who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault and to hold perpetrators of such crimes accountable. DGP funds are used to establish and strengthen multidisciplinary collaborative relationships; increase organizational capacity to provide accessible, safe, and effective services to individuals with disabilities and Deaf individuals who are victims of violence and abuse; identify needs within the grantee’s organization and/or service area; and develop a plan to address those identified needs that builds a strong foundation for future work.

Purpose Areas

Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 20122(b), funds under this program must be used for one or more of the following purposes:

• To provide personnel, training, technical assistance, advocacy, intervention, risk reduction (including using evidence-based indicators to assess the risk of domestic and dating violence homicide) and prevention of domestic violence dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault against individuals with disabilities.
• To conduct outreach activities to ensure that individuals with disabilities who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault receive appropriate assistance.
• To conduct cross-training for victim service organizations, governmental agencies, courts, law enforcement, and nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations serving individuals with disabilities about risk reduction, intervention, prevention and the nature of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault for individuals with disabilities.
• To provide technical assistance to assist with modifications to existing policies, protocols, and procedures to ensure equal access to the services, programs, and activities of victim service providers for individuals with disabilities.
• To provide training and technical assistance on the requirements of shelters and victim service providers under Federal anti-discrimination laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
• To modify facilities, purchase equipment, and provide personnel so that shelters and victim service organizations can accommodate the needs of individuals with disabilities.
• To provide advocacy and intervention services for individuals with disabilities who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault.
• To develop model programs providing advocacy and intervention services within organizations serving individuals with disabilities who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault.

OVW Priority Areas

In FY 2020, OVW is interested in supporting the priority areas identified below. Applications proposing activities in the following areas will be given special consideration.

• Reduce violent crime against women and promote victim safety through investing in law enforcement, increasing prosecution, and promoting effective prevention.
• Increase efforts to combat stalking.
• Address the specific challenges that rural communities face in responding to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
• Serve sexual assault survivors. To qualify for this priority, applications must propose a sexual assault focus and include a sexual assault service provider as a member of the multidisciplinary collaborative team.

Award Period and Amounts

• The award period is 36 months for new applications and 24 months for continuation applications. Budgets must reflect 36 or 24 months of project activity, and the total “estimated funding” on the SF-424 must reflect 36 or 24 months. OVW anticipates that the award period will start on October 1, 2020.
• This program typically makes awards in the range of $325,000 – $500,000. OVW estimates that it will make up to 12 awards for an estimated $4,972,061.
• Funding levels under this program for FY 2020 are:
  • New, state-focused $500,000 for 36 months.
  • New, local-focused or tribal-focused $425,000 for 36 months.
  • Continuation, state-focused $400.000 for 24 months.
  • Continuation, local-focused $325,000 for 24 months.

Eligible Applicants

• The following entities are eligible to apply for this program (34 U.S.C. § 20122(c)):
  • States.
  • Units of local government.
  • Indian tribal governments or tribal organizations.
  • Victim service providers, such as state or tribal domestic violence or sexual assault coalitions or nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations serving individuals with disabilities.
• Nonprofit Organization Requirement – 501(c)(3) Status
• Any entity that is eligible for this program based on its status as a nonprofit organization must be an organization that is described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code.
• Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this solicitation

Note: Any nonprofit organization that holds money in offshore accounts for the purpose of avoiding paying the tax described in section 511(a) of the Internal Revenue Code is not eligible for a grant from this program.

For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=322471