OVW Fiscal Year 2025 Sexual Assault Services Community-Based Services Program | O OVW 2025 172369

FAQs: OVW FY 2025 Sexual Assault Services Community-Based Services Program (SAS-CSP)

What is the OVW FY 2025 SAS-CSP grant opportunity?

The Sexual Assault Services Community-Based Services Program (SAS-CSP) is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). It focuses on improving access to sexual assault services for survivors in culturally specific communities by supporting community-based approaches that are linguistically and culturally tailored.

What is the main purpose of SAS-CSP?

The central purpose is to establish, maintain, and expand culturally specific intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault. The program recognizes that survivors may face barriers tied to language, culture, community trust, and historical inequities in access to victim services, and it prioritizes addressing those barriers through culturally specific, community-based solutions.

What types of services or approaches does the program emphasize?

SAS-CSP emphasizes strengthening community-based approaches that are linguistically and culturally tailored. It also highlights building services that are effective in the short term and sustainable over time, with programming shaped by and accountable to the culturally specific communities being served.

Who is this funding intended to serve?

The opportunity is focused on improving access to sexual assault services for survivors in culturally specific communities, particularly where survivors face language and cultural barriers, trust issues, or inequitable access to victim services.

Who is eligible to apply for SAS-CSP funding?

Funding is intended for private nonprofit organizations that primarily serve culturally specific communities. Eligible applicants include certain Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments) and nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), as well as certain other eligible entities as defined by the solicitation.

Are institutions of higher education eligible if they are nonprofits?

No. The eligibility description provided states that nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status are eligible, excluding institutions of higher education.

Are federally recognized tribal governments eligible applicants?

The eligibility description provided includes eligible Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. Based on the information provided, federally recognized tribal governments are excluded from the category explicitly mentioned.

Do applicants need prior experience providing sexual assault intervention services?

Yes. To qualify, an applicant must either (1) have documented organizational experience providing sexual assault intervention services or (2) have a formal partnership with an organization that has that expertise.

Is a formal partnership allowed in place of direct service experience?

Yes. If the applicant does not have documented organizational experience providing sexual assault intervention services, the applicant can qualify by having a formal partnership with an organization that has that expertise.

What kind of community expertise must applicants demonstrate?

Applicants must demonstrate expertise in developing community-based, linguistically and culturally specific outreach and intervention services for the community they intend to serve, or show they can effectively connect survivors to existing community services tailored to culturally specific populations.

Does OVW require community representation in governance and staffing?

Yes. Applicants must have an advisory board or steering committee and staffing that reflect the culturally specific community. This reflects OVW's expectation that programs be shaped by, and accountable to, the communities they serve.

What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?

This opportunity falls under the Law, Justice and Legal Services funding activity category.

What is the CFDA number for this program?

The CFDA number associated with this opportunity is 16.023.

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is O-OVW-2025-172369.

How many awards does OVW expect to make?

OVW anticipates making about 20 awards under this program.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling is $380,000 per grant.

When was this funding opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on June 18, 2025.

What is the application deadline?

The original application deadline is July 25, 2025.

What does it mean that the program is "discretionary"?

The opportunity is described as a discretionary grant from OVW, meaning awards are made through a competitive process under the terms of the solicitation rather than distributed by formula.

Are applicants expected to align with specific federal definitions or standards for culturally specific services?

Yes. The notice references statutory provisions connected to culturally specific services, including 34 U.S.C. 12511(c)(2) and 34 U.S.C. 12291(b)(8). Applicants should align their program design, governance, and service approach with these culturally specific standards.

What barriers to services is this program trying to address?

The program is intended to address barriers survivors may face when seeking help, including language barriers, cultural barriers, issues of community trust, and historical inequities in access to victim services.

Is the program focused only on short-term results?

No. The program emphasizes approaches that are effective in the short term while also being sustainable over time.