Tribal Affairs

Grants to Tribal Governments and CTAS  | Tribal Coalitions | Tribal Sexual Assault Services | Special Domestic Violence Criminal JurisdictionPublications

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) currently administers 21 grant programs designed to develop the nation's capacity to reduce domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by strengthening services to victims and holding offenders accountable for their actions. Tribal entities are generally eligible to apply for any OVW grant program where a comparable non-tribal entity is eligible. In addition, four of OVW's programs are targeted to Native American populations and tribes. These are described below.

Grants to Tribal Governments and CTAS

The Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program (Tribal Governments Program), authorized in Title IX of the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 (VAWA 2005), is designed to enhance the ability of tribes to respond to violent crimes against Indian women, enhance victim safety, and develop education and prevention strategies. Applications for the Tribal Governments Program are submitted through the DOJ Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) as purpose area 5. Through CTAS, federally-recognized tribes and tribal consortia are able to submit a single application for most of the Justice Department’s tribal grant programs. CTAS is designed to be a comprehensive approach that saves time and resources.   

OVW has awarded more than $35 million in grant awards to combat violence against women in American Indian and Alaska Native communities for fiscal year 2018. Grants were awarded to 55 American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages, and other tribal designees through the Tribal Governments Program.  Click here for a list of fiscal year 2018 OVW CTAS Awards.

For a complete list of CTAS awards, including those made by other Department of Justice components, visit www.justice.gov/tribal/awards.

For additional information about CTAS visit www.justice.gov/tribal/grants.

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Tribal Coalitions Program

The Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Grant Program (Tribal Coalitions Program) builds the capacity of survivors, advocates, Indian women's organizations, and victim service providers to form nonprofit, nongovernmental tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions to end violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women. Tribal Coalitions Program grants are used to: increase awareness of domestic violence, sexual assault, and sex trafficking against American Indian and Alaska Native women; enhance the response to violence against women at the tribal, federal, and state levels; and identify and provide technical assistance to coalition membership and tribal communities to enhance access to essential services.

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Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program

The Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program enhances the ability of tribes to respond to violent crimes against Indian women, enhance victim safety, and develop education and prevention strategies. Eligible applicants are federally-recognized tribes or an organization that is acting as the authorized designee of a federally-recognized Indian tribe.  

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Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction Program

The Grants to Tribal Governments to Exercise Special Domestic Violence Jurisdiction Program assists Indian tribes in planning, implementing, and exercising "special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction" to hold accountable non-Indians who commit crimes of domestic violence or dating violence or violate certain protection orders in Indian country. Eligible applicants are Indian tribal governments that have jurisdiction over Indian country.

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Publications

Native Men's Gathering: Turning Experiences into Actions, July 2018 (PDF) is a summary of a Roundtable discussion among American Indian and Alaska Native men who are involved in efforts to end domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. 

Native Men's Gathering: Experiences that Shape Behaviors and Beliefs about Violence Against Women, January 2017 (PDF) is a summary of a Roundtable discussion among American Indian and Alaska Native men who are involved in efforts to end domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. 

Alaska Native Listening Session Summary Report, October 2016 (PDF) Every year, the U.S. Department of Justice conducts government-to-government consultations with American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments. In 2015, the Alaska Native tribes and villages invited the Department to come to Alaska for a formal listening session to hear about the special challenges Alaska Native tribes face. This report documents the testimony from the Alaska listening session.  

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Updated January 28, 2019

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