Overview
This
grant provides funding to non-profit and public agencies (including state and
local governmental agencies, universities and community colleges) interested in
providing services that do not duplicate services provided by another agency in
the same geographical location and are in compliance with grant specific
requirements.
Federal Priority Victim Populations
- Child Abuse: These services should include treatment for children who are victims of physical or sexual abuse, and services for their non-offending parents and siblings. Examples of services may include play, individual, and/or group therapy. Services may be provided through mental health or hospital-based programs. Victims of child abuse may include, but are not limited to, child victims of: Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse; child pornography-related offenses; neglect; commercial sexual exploitation; bullying; and/or exposure to violence.
- Sexual Assault: Services provided should assist victims in dealing with the trauma of sexual assault and its emotional aftermath. Services may include 24-hour crisis hotlines, crisis intervention, emergency services, legal advocacy, clinical evaluation and long- and short-term counseling. Services may be provided to the victim's family and significant others. Services can be designed to serve both male and female victims. These services may be provided to adult survivors of child sexual abuse or incest.
- Domestic Violence: Domestic violence is a term that covers many types of acts committed by a current or former intimate partner against another, or within a family. Services may include 24-hour crisis hotlines, crisis intervention, emergency services, shelters or safe homes, long- and short-term counseling, information and referral, and legal advocacy in obtaining emergency restraining orders, injunctive or other protective orders.
- Underserved Priority Areas: Underserved Victim Populations: Victims of both violent and non-violent crimes, including individuals who have endured physical, emotional, financial, or psychological harm. These populations may face significant barriers in accessing essential services, support systems, and legal resources due to factors such as socioeconomic status, geographic isolation, language barriers, or systemic inequities.
Allowable Activities
Organizations will provide direct services to victims of crime. Efforts will work to:
- Respond to the emotional and physical needs of crime victims
- Assist primary and secondary victims of crime to stabilize their lives after a victimization
- Assist victims to understand and participate in the criminal justice system; and
- Provide victims of crime with a measure of safety and security.
Who is Eligible to Apply for VOCA funding
Eligible organizations include victim services organizations whose sole mission is to provide direct services to crime victims. These organizations include, but are not limited to the following:
- Sexual assault and rape treatment centers;
- Domestic violence programs and shelters;
- Child abuse programs;
- Centers for missing children;
- Mental health services;
- Other community-based victim coalitions and support organizations;
- Criminal Justice Agencies: Law enforcement agencies, prosecutors' offices, courts, corrections departments, and probation and paroling authorities are eligible to receive VOCA funds to help pay for victims' services.
- Religiously-Affiliated Organizations: Organizations receiving VOCA funds must ensure that services are offered to all crime victims without regard to religious affiliation and that the receipt of services is not contingent upon participation in a religious activity or event. Faith-based and community organizations will be considered for awards as are other eligible applicants and if they receive assistance awards, will be treated on an equal basis with all other grantees in the administration of such awards. No eligible applicant or grantee will be discriminated against on the basis of its religious character or affiliation, or religious name. Faith-based and community organizations are required to abide by the same regulations and requirements specifically associated with the program under which they are awarded a grant, as any other agency awarded funding.
- Hospitals and Emergency Medical Facilities: Organizations must offer crisis counseling, support groups and /or other types of victim services.
- Others: State and local public agencies such as mental health service organizations, state and/or local public child and adult protective services, state grantees, Native American Tribes/Organizations, legal service agencies and programs with a demonstrated history of advocacy on behalf of domestic violence victims and public housing authorities that have components specifically trained to serve crime victims.
Contact Information
Mikayla Tran
Grants & Projects Analyst II
Nevada Department of Health and Human Services
Division of Child and Family Services, Grants Management Unit
dcfsgrants@dcfs.nv.gov
mikayla.tran@dcfs.nv.gov