| Since the program was launched in November 2002, OVC has offered grants to grassroots, nonprofit, community- and faith-based victim organizations and coalitions to improve outreach and services to victims of crime.
Background
Through a series of roundtable meetings with crime victims and victim
advocates, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has become aware
of a growing body of grassroots, nonprofit, community- and faith-based
victim organizations and coalitions that are not linked to mainstream
victim service programs. As such, they do not have access to traditional
funding sources for services, outreach, and networking. Often only a small amount of money and access to resources
are needed to expand and enhance their outreach and services to crime victims.
What Is Helping Outreach
Programs to Expand?
The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office
for Victims of Crime will provide up to $10,000 each
to grassroots community- and faith-based victim service organizations
and coalitions to help them improve their outreach and services to crime victims,
through support of program development, networking, coalition building,
and service delivery. Funds may be used to develop program literature,
train advocates, produce a newsletter, support victim outreach efforts,
and recruit volunteers.
Who Can Apply?
Organizations and coalitions operating for at least 1 year that have
not received federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) victim assistance grant funding and that have an
annual operating budget of $75,000 or less are eligible to apply. All applicants must
also have a history of serving crime victims.
How To Apply?
Interested organizations should submit a letter of request (no more than 4 pages) on the
agency's letterhead to the OVC Director. The letter should include
the following:
- Organization or coalition's mission
statement.
- Background information
about the organization or coalition (e.g., how long in existence,
names and titles of principal staff).
- Breakdown of
annual operating budget.
- Description of activities
and crime victim services.
- Statement of need.
- Breakdown of intended uses of funds.
- Three original letters of support. They may be from law enforcement agencies, social services agencies, and/or established victim services agencies on the recommending agency's letterhead. The letters of support must address the work that the program does with victims of crime in the community and must be dated within the past 12 months.
For details on how best to present this information, consult the template for submitting a HOPE request (98 PDF kb).
Examples of Successful (OVC-Funded) Initiatives
Since November 2002, funds have supported a range of outreach and victim service expansion efforts, including:
- Production of a public service announcement featuring the victim service organization's contact information to be displayed in local movie theaters.
- Translation of domestic violence brochures from English to Spanish, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, and Farsi.
- Establishment of a 24-hour crisis hotline.
HOPE I Allowable and Unallowable Costs
Allowable – Must be directly related to the provision of crime victim services
- Develop newsletters, brochures, program materials
- Purchase training materials
- Train advocates/volunteers
- Recruit volunteers
- Pay for local travel for advocates/volunteers to receive training
- Purchase computer equipment and/or office supplies
- Pay for membership with national/state crime victim organization
- Pay for public service announcements (newspaper, radio, or television) regarding available crime victim services
- Pay for telephone service
Unallowable
- Consultant fees or salaries
- Fundraising
- Lobbying
- Food and/or beverage costs
- Entertainment (e.g., bands, singers, movies)
- Crime prevention
- Rent
- Furniture
- Televisions
- DVD players
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