Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) Grants

MBCC releases a grant funding opportunity every year for applicants who offer comprehensive specialized services, tailored to the distinct needs of victims of crime under the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), to be funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime. Eligible applicants include State, local, and Tribal courts (including juvenile courts); Tribal governments; units of local government, and nonprofit, nongovernmental victim services programs, including community-based organizations. VOCA Federal Guidelines state that services are defined as those efforts that:

1. respond to the emotional and physical needs of crime victims;
2. assist primary and secondary victims of crime to stabilize their lives after a victimization;
3. assist victims to understand and participate in the criminal justice system; and
4. provide victims of crime with a measure of safety and security.

For the purposes of this program, a crime victim is a “person who has suffered physical, sexual, financial, or emotional harm as a result of the commission of a crime.” The four federally required service categories include victims of child abuse, victims of domestic violence, victims of sexual assault, and underserved victim populations.

09-20-2021 VOCA Fix Information - Match Waiver Update