Victim and witness assistance programs ensure that victims and witnesses of crimes are treated with fairness and respect, afforded their rights, and provided with the services they need to help ease the impact of victimization. Victim and witness assistance services include, but are not limited to, crisis intervention, emergency shelter and transportation, counseling, and criminal justice advocacy. All states and most territories receive annual state victim assistance program formula grants that must be used to support local community-based organizations and public agencies that provide services directly to victims.

The following resources provide additional information about victim and witness assistance programs and services.

Victim and witness assistance programs ensure that victims and witnesses of crimes are treated with fairness and respect, afforded their rights, and provided with the services they need to help ease the impact of victimization. Victim and witness assistance services include, but are not limited to, crisis intervention, emergency shelter and transportation, counseling, and criminal justice advocacy. All states and most territories receive annual state victim assistance program formula grants that must be used to support local community-based organizations and public agencies that provide services directly to victims.

The following resources provide additional information about victim and witness assistance programs and services.

Victim and witness assistance programs ensure that victims and witnesses of crimes are treated with fairness and respect, afforded their rights, and provided with the services they need to help ease the impact of victimization. Victim and witness assistance services include, but are not limited to, crisis intervention, emergency shelter and transportation, counseling, and criminal justice advocacy. All states and most territories receive annual state victim assistance program formula grants that must be used to support local community-based organizations and public agencies that provide services directly to victims.

The following resources provide additional information about victim and witness assistance programs and services.

Each month the Nation's experts answer your questions about best practices in victim services. Below are upcoming and most recent session discussions in this topic:

On Jun 5 2013 at 2:00PM, Robin Parker, and Sharon Stapel, will host a discussion on Incorporating LGBTQ Victims’ Needs into Mainstream Victim Services

On May 15 2013 at 2:00PM, John Evans, National Training Manager for Victim Services at Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and Carl McDonald, National Law Enforcement Initiative Manager for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, hosted a discussion on Drunk Driving and Child Endangerment

On May 1 2013 at 2:00PM, Kim Clifton, Executive Director of HALOS (Helping And Lending Outreach Support), hosted a discussion on Replicating Victim Services Programs with Limited Funding

On Apr 19 2013 at 2:00PM, Hallie Martyniuk, author of Strengthening Military-Civilian Community Partnerships To Respond to Sexual Assault, and Major Matthew Youngblood, Victim Assistance Advisor for the U.S. Department of Defense Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, hosted a discussion on Responding to Sexual Assault Victims through Military/Civilian Partnerships

On Apr 10 2013 at 2:00PM, Howard Davidson, director of the American Bar Association (ABA) Center on Children and the Law, and Catherine Heath, a Child and Family Program Specialist at the Children’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Steven Toporoff, an attorney for the Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), hosted a discussion on Child Welfare Agencies Responding to Child Identity Theft

On Feb 28 2013 at 2:00PM, Mitru Ciarlante, Director of Child & Club Safety for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and Dr. John Rich, Professor and Chair of Health Management and Policy at the Drexel University School of Public Health, hosted a discussion on Reaching Young Men of Color Exposed to Violence

Victim and witness assistance programs ensure that victims and witnesses of crimes are treated with fairness and respect, afforded their rights, and provided with the services they need to help ease the impact of victimization. Victim and witness assistance services include, but are not limited to, crisis intervention, emergency shelter and transportation, counseling, and criminal justice advocacy. All states and most territories receive annual state victim assistance program formula grants that must be used to support local community-based organizations and public agencies that provide services directly to victims.

The following resources provide additional information about victim and witness assistance programs and services.

What type of protection does the U.S. Department of Justice provide to trafficking victims? Information for trafficking victims is available in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) brochu... Read More What is victim assistance? Each year, states and territories receive Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds to support community-bas... Read More What types of assistance are available to me as a crime victim? Assistance for victims of crime is available through financial reimbursement and victim services fro... Read More Does OVC provide direct services for victims of crime? Yes. OVC provides direct services to people victimized on Tribal or federal lands, such as military ... Read More When will National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW) be observed in 2014? National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW) will be observed April 6-12, 2014. To learn more ab... Read More More FAQs

Victim and witness assistance programs ensure that victims and witnesses of crimes are treated with fairness and respect, afforded their rights, and provided with the services they need to help ease the impact of victimization. Victim and witness assistance services include, but are not limited to, crisis intervention, emergency shelter and transportation, counseling, and criminal justice advocacy. All states and most territories receive annual state victim assistance program formula grants that must be used to support local community-based organizations and public agencies that provide services directly to victims.

The following resources provide additional information about victim and witness assistance programs and services.

FY 2013 An Evidence-Based Approach to Understanding and Addressing Vicarious Trauma in Victim Assistance Professionals, Law Enforcement Officers, and Other First Responders (PDF 208 kb)
Deadline: 06/13/2013
One cooperative agreement of $1,250,000 will be awarded to support the examination, assessment, identification, and pilot testing of evidence-based policies, practices, procedures, and protocols designed to facilitate an understanding of and comprehensive approach to addressing vicarious (or secondary) traumatic stress in victim assistance professionals, law enforcement personnel, and other first responders who are subject to the impact of traumatic stress due to large-scale incidents of criminal mass violence or a series of exposures to an accumulation of traumatizing incidents. Those applying are urged to begin in advance of the June 13, 2013, deadline.


FY 2013 Victim Assistance Professional Development Fellowship Program - Vision 21 Fellowships (PDF 417 kb)
Deadline: 06/10/2013
This competitive solicitation will fund two Vision 21 Fellowships. The Legal Assistance Fellowship will be critical in assisting OVC with any implementation efforts related to support of comprehensive, holistic legal assistance for victims of crime. The Strategic Engagement Fellowship will support OVC's efforts across the framework created by Vision 21 to ensure the field has a deeper understanding and awareness of the key issues and a strategic path for engagement. Up to $135,000 is available for each fellowship, with no more than $95,000 to be allocated for salary. Applicants are limited to individuals; organizations are not eligible to apply. The Legal Assistance Fellowship is open only to attorneys. Those applying are urged to begin in advance of the June 10, 2013, deadline.


FY 2013 Bridging the Gap in Victim-Related Research to Practice (PDF 452 kb)
Deadline: 06/10/2013
One cooperative agreement of $750,000 will be awarded to conduct a comprehensive assessment of victim service providers to ascertain their level of awareness and knowledge about the benefits of social science research and program evaluation for their work with victims of crime; paired with an assessment of researchers' interest in, and capacity for, translating their work for a practitioner audience. The results of this project will inform future plans to support improved communication and collaboration between researchers and practitioners. Those applying are urged to begin in advance of the June 10, 2013, deadline.


FY 2013 Services for Victims of Human Trafficking (PDF 457 kb)
Deadline: 06/10/2013
Approximately seven cooperative agreements of up to $400,000 each will be awarded to provide timely, high-quality services to victims of human trafficking as defined by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, as amended, and to enhance interagency collaboration and coordination in the provision of services to such victims. Funding will support either a comprehensive array of services for all trafficking victims, or specialized services for trafficking victims. Funding also will support efforts to increase the capacity of communities to respond to victims through the development of interagency partnerships and professional training, public outreach, and awareness campaigns. Those applying are urged to begin in advance of the June 10, 2013, deadline.


FY 2013 Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program for Crime Victim Assistance (PDF 414 kb)
Deadline: Open
The Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program is a mechanism by which the OVC Director may award supplemental crime victim assistance to respond to an act of terrorism or mass criminal violence. The criminal act has to be of sufficient magnitude that it overwhelms the affected jurisdiction's or program's ability to respond to the event. There are four types of support available from OVC to respond to these acts-crisis response grants, consequence management grants, criminal justice support grants, and technical assistance and training services. Requests for more than one type of assistance may be combined into one request. The established time frames for funding are flexible and not intended to prohibit the submission of applications at a different time, if warranted. You must contact OVC before submitting an application under this program. Please contact Barbara Robertson at 202–353–3775 or barbara.robertson2@usdoj.gov for more information.

More Funding Opportunities

Victim and witness assistance programs ensure that victims and witnesses of crimes are treated with fairness and respect, afforded their rights, and provided with the services they need to help ease the impact of victimization. Victim and witness assistance services include, but are not limited to, crisis intervention, emergency shelter and transportation, counseling, and criminal justice advocacy. All states and most territories receive annual state victim assistance program formula grants that must be used to support local community-based organizations and public agencies that provide services directly to victims.

The following resources provide additional information about victim and witness assistance programs and services.

Related Resources

Web Forum Discussions

Each month the Nation's experts answer your questions about best practices in victim services. Below are upcoming and most recent session discussions in this topic:

On Jun 5 2013 at 2:00PM, Robin Parker, and Sharon Stapel, will host a discussion on Incorporating LGBTQ Victims’ Needs into Mainstream Victim Services

On May 15 2013 at 2:00PM, John Evans, National Training Manager for Victim Services at Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and Carl McDonald, National Law Enforcement Initiative Manager for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, hosted a discussion on Drunk Driving and Child Endangerment

On May 1 2013 at 2:00PM, Kim Clifton, Executive Director of HALOS (Helping And Lending Outreach Support), hosted a discussion on Replicating Victim Services Programs with Limited Funding

On Apr 19 2013 at 2:00PM, Hallie Martyniuk, author of Strengthening Military-Civilian Community Partnerships To Respond to Sexual Assault, and Major Matthew Youngblood, Victim Assistance Advisor for the U.S. Department of Defense Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, hosted a discussion on Responding to Sexual Assault Victims through Military/Civilian Partnerships

On Apr 10 2013 at 2:00PM, Howard Davidson, director of the American Bar Association (ABA) Center on Children and the Law, and Catherine Heath, a Child and Family Program Specialist at the Children’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Steven Toporoff, an attorney for the Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), hosted a discussion on Child Welfare Agencies Responding to Child Identity Theft

On Feb 28 2013 at 2:00PM, Mitru Ciarlante, Director of Child & Club Safety for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and Dr. John Rich, Professor and Chair of Health Management and Policy at the Drexel University School of Public Health, hosted a discussion on Reaching Young Men of Color Exposed to Violence

FAQs

What type of protection does the U.S. Department of Justice provide to trafficking victims? Information for trafficking victims is available in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) brochu... Read More What is victim assistance? Each year, states and territories receive Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds to support community-bas... Read More What types of assistance are available to me as a crime victim? Assistance for victims of crime is available through financial reimbursement and victim services fro... Read More Does OVC provide direct services for victims of crime? Yes. OVC provides direct services to people victimized on Tribal or federal lands, such as military ... Read More When will National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW) be observed in 2014? National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW) will be observed April 6-12, 2014. To learn more ab... Read More More FAQs Back to Top

Funding

FY 2013 An Evidence-Based Approach to Understanding and Addressing Vicarious Trauma in Victim Assistance Professionals, Law Enforcement Officers, and Other First Responders (PDF 208 kb)
Deadline: 06/13/2013
One cooperative agreement of $1,250,000 will be awarded to support the examination, assessment, identification, and pilot testing of evidence-based policies, practices, procedures, and protocols designed to facilitate an understanding of and comprehensive approach to addressing vicarious (or secondary) traumatic stress in victim assistance professionals, law enforcement personnel, and other first responders who are subject to the impact of traumatic stress due to large-scale incidents of criminal mass violence or a series of exposures to an accumulation of traumatizing incidents. Those applying are urged to begin in advance of the June 13, 2013, deadline.


FY 2013 Victim Assistance Professional Development Fellowship Program - Vision 21 Fellowships (PDF 417 kb)
Deadline: 06/10/2013
This competitive solicitation will fund two Vision 21 Fellowships. The Legal Assistance Fellowship will be critical in assisting OVC with any implementation efforts related to support of comprehensive, holistic legal assistance for victims of crime. The Strategic Engagement Fellowship will support OVC's efforts across the framework created by Vision 21 to ensure the field has a deeper understanding and awareness of the key issues and a strategic path for engagement. Up to $135,000 is available for each fellowship, with no more than $95,000 to be allocated for salary. Applicants are limited to individuals; organizations are not eligible to apply. The Legal Assistance Fellowship is open only to attorneys. Those applying are urged to begin in advance of the June 10, 2013, deadline.


FY 2013 Bridging the Gap in Victim-Related Research to Practice (PDF 452 kb)
Deadline: 06/10/2013
One cooperative agreement of $750,000 will be awarded to conduct a comprehensive assessment of victim service providers to ascertain their level of awareness and knowledge about the benefits of social science research and program evaluation for their work with victims of crime; paired with an assessment of researchers' interest in, and capacity for, translating their work for a practitioner audience. The results of this project will inform future plans to support improved communication and collaboration between researchers and practitioners. Those applying are urged to begin in advance of the June 10, 2013, deadline.


FY 2013 Services for Victims of Human Trafficking (PDF 457 kb)
Deadline: 06/10/2013
Approximately seven cooperative agreements of up to $400,000 each will be awarded to provide timely, high-quality services to victims of human trafficking as defined by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, as amended, and to enhance interagency collaboration and coordination in the provision of services to such victims. Funding will support either a comprehensive array of services for all trafficking victims, or specialized services for trafficking victims. Funding also will support efforts to increase the capacity of communities to respond to victims through the development of interagency partnerships and professional training, public outreach, and awareness campaigns. Those applying are urged to begin in advance of the June 10, 2013, deadline.


FY 2013 Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program for Crime Victim Assistance (PDF 414 kb)
Deadline: Open
The Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program is a mechanism by which the OVC Director may award supplemental crime victim assistance to respond to an act of terrorism or mass criminal violence. The criminal act has to be of sufficient magnitude that it overwhelms the affected jurisdiction's or program's ability to respond to the event. There are four types of support available from OVC to respond to these acts-crisis response grants, consequence management grants, criminal justice support grants, and technical assistance and training services. Requests for more than one type of assistance may be combined into one request. The established time frames for funding are flexible and not intended to prohibit the submission of applications at a different time, if warranted. You must contact OVC before submitting an application under this program. Please contact Barbara Robertson at 202–353–3775 or barbara.robertson2@usdoj.gov for more information.

Back to Top