Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Grants

MBCC releases a grant funding opportunity every year for applicants who offer SASP services.  SASP was created by the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 and is the first Federal funding stream solely dedicated to the provision of direct intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault.  SASP envisions a partnership among the MBCC, Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, and underserved communities in implementing SASP throughout the State.  The intent of the partnership is to support rape crisis centers and other nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations, including faith-based and other community organizations, that provide core services, direct intervention, and related assistance to victims of sexual assault. SASP funds are designed to supplement other funding sources directed at addressing sexual assault on the state and territorial level. Rape crisis centers and other nonprofit organizations such as dual programs providing both domestic violence and sexual violence intervention services play a vital role in assisting sexual assault victims through the healing process, as well as assisting victims through the medical, criminal justice, and other social support systems.

MBCC releases a grant funding opportunity every year for applicants who offer STOP (Services-Training-Officers-Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to be funded by the Office on Violence Against Women. The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) is a component of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ).  Created in 1995, OVW implements the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation and provides national leadership on issues of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.  Since its inception, OVW has supported a multifaceted approach to responding to these crimes through implementation of grant programs authorized by VAWA.  By forging state, local and tribal partnerships among police, prosecutors, judges, victim advocates, health care providers, faith leaders, organizations that serve culturally specific and underserved communities, and others, OVW grants help provide victims, across their life span, with the protection and services they need to pursue safe and healthy lives, while improving communities’ capacity to provide justice for victims and hold offenders accountable.