What is OVC?
What is OVC's mission?
Can a victim apply directly to OVC for funding?
Can a program apply directly to OVC for funding?
Is a VOCA Victim Assistance subrecipient eligible to apply
for the Helping Outreach Programs Expand (HOPE) funding opportunity?
Where/how can I find out about funding available from OVC?
Does OVC offer training and technical assistance?—UPDATE ALERT!
Does OVC provide direct services for victims of crime?
How do I apply for a job with OVC?
Does OVC provide publications, videotapes, and other
information resources?
What is OVC?
Created in 1983, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is a federal office
within the U.S. Department of Justice that provides federal funds to support
victim assistance and compensation programs around the country and advocates
for the fair treatment of crime victims. Related reading:
What is OVC's mission?
The mission of OVC is to enhance the Nation's capacity to assist crime
victims and to provide leadership in changing attitudes, policies, and
practices to promote justice and healing for all victims of crime. OVC
accomplishes its mission in many different ways:
Can a victim apply directly to OVC for funding?
Yes. Under the International Terrorism Victim Expense Reimbursement Program (ITVERP), a U.S. national, government officer, or employee who is an eligible direct victim of international terrorism occurring outside the United States, may apply for reimbursement of expenses associated with that victimization.
The law requires that the individual victim must have suffered "direct physical or emotional injury or death as a result of an act of international terrorism occurring on or after December 21, 1988, with respect to which an investigation or prosecution was ongoing or was commenced after April 24, 1996."
Eligible expenses include the following:
- Medical (including dental and rehabilitation costs)
- Mental health care
- Property loss, repair, replacement
- Funeral and burial costs
- Miscellaneous expenses (such as temporary lodging, local transportation, telephone costs, emergency travel)
In addition, OVC funds support—
- State victim compensation programs, which
help reimburse victims for costs incurred as a direct result of the
crime, including medical bills, funeral expenses, and lost wages.
- State victim assistance programs, which
provide funds for community agencies that assist crime victims through
services such as crisis intervention, criminal justice advocacy, counseling,
and emergency shelter.
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Can a program apply directly to OVC for funding?
Yes. A certain percentage of discretionary monies in the fund are used
to support national scope training and technical assistance projects to
improve services to victims of crime.
Is a VOCA Victim Assistance subrecipient eligible
to apply for the Helping
Outreach Programs Expand (HOPE) funding opportunity?
No. Only nonprofit, grassroots community and victim service programs operated
by faith-based organizations and victim coalitions that do not receive
federal VOCA victim assistance grant funds and operate with $50,000 or
less in annual funding are eligible to apply. Eligible organizations and
coalitions must be operating for at least 1 year.
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Where/how can I find out about funding available from OVC?
OVC announces its discretionary grants through its Web site under Grants
& Funding and through the Federal
Grants.gov Web site. Check often, as discretionary grant opportunities
are made available throughout the year.
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Does OVC offer training and technical assistance?
Yes. OVC provides comprehensive, quality training and technical assistance resources to victim service providers and allied professionals through the Training and Technical Assistance Center known as OVC TTAC.
The Center provides information on upcoming trainings and conferences, as well as offer a variety of online and downloadable trainings.
Technical assistance also is offered by OVC
staff during site visits, conferences, working meetings, and other training
events. Related reading:
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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 bases and national parks, and American citizens
victimized in foreign countries. OVC also assists victims of crime by
providing—
- Emergency funds for federal criminal justice agencies to provide
victims of federal crimes (e.g., kidnaping and bank robbery) with needed
services (e.g., crisis counseling and temporary shelter) when these
services are otherwise unavailable.
- Grants for victim assistance programs in Indian Country.
- Information, benefits, and services for US nationals who are
victims of terrorism abroad. Victims are given assistance in accessing
services, traveling to participate in trials and briefings, and obtaining
information on the criminal justice process.
If you are interested in locating support following a victimization,
you may want to contact a victim assistance or
victim compensation program in your state. You may also want to contact
one or more national victim serving organizations
for a referral.
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How do I apply for a job with OVC?
You can apply online for OVC employment or
by submitting your application to the appropriate contact listed in the
job announcement. For job openings within other justice-related agencies,
please visit the Web sites for the Office
of Justice Programs and the Office
of Personnel Management.
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Does OVC provide publications, videotapes,
and other information resources?
Yes, OVC offers a range of products and information services that support
crime victim service providers and allied professionals in their efforts
to respond to crime victims.
For more information on available resources, AskOVC.
