Opportunity Information: Apply for OVW 2017 11920
The OVW FY 2017 Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program Solicitation is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), designed to expand access to legal help for people harmed by sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. The core purpose is practical and victim-centered: make sure adult and youth victims can obtain the civil and certain victim-related criminal legal assistance they need to pursue safety, stability, and legal remedies connected to the abuse, and to do so at no cost or minimal cost to the victim. The program emphasizes that legal representation can be a critical part of a victim’s ability to secure protection, housing, financial support, immigration relief, and other outcomes that reduce continued harm and promote long-term safety.
A key feature of the solicitation is its focus on legal matters that are "relating to or arising out of" the abuse or violence. In other words, supported services should be tied directly to the victimization and the legal consequences that flow from it. The funding is intended to support direct legal services for victims, meaning representation, advice, advocacy, and other attorney-led assistance aimed at achieving concrete legal relief. While the solicitation recognizes that victims may need help navigating both civil and criminal justice systems, it draws a clear line on what it will not support: LAV funds cannot be used to provide criminal defense services. That prohibition is explicit and is meant to ensure grant dollars are used to advance victim legal needs rather than defend individuals accused of crimes.
The program’s objective goes beyond simply increasing the number of attorneys or cases served. OVW is looking for innovative, collaborative projects that deliver high-quality representation. That collaboration language typically signals an expectation that applicants will coordinate with victim service providers, legal aid organizations, courts, community-based programs, and other stakeholders so victims receive comprehensive and consistent support rather than fragmented services. "Quality representation" also implies an emphasis on competent, trauma-informed legal practice, and on building systems that can reliably serve victims with complex, interrelated legal problems stemming from violence and abuse.
In terms of administration and funding details, this opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number OVW 2017 11920 and CFDA 16.524. The solicitation was created on January 4, 2017, with an original closing date of February 16, 2017. The award ceiling is $800,000 per award, and OVW anticipated making approximately 60 awards under this announcement. The activity category is aligned with law, justice, and legal services, reflecting the program’s role in strengthening legal responses and access to counsel for victims.
Eligibility is broad across several sectors, which supports the program’s goal of fostering partnerships and reaching victims through different institutional channels. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (both those with 501(c)(3) status and those without, excluding higher education institutions in the latter category); and federally recognized Native American tribal governments as well as tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. This eligible applicant pool is consistent with a model where legal service providers, campus-based legal clinics, tribal justice partners, and community nonprofits can compete for funding to build or expand victim legal assistance capacity.
Overall, the OVW LAV Grant Program solicitation reflects a targeted investment in victim legal advocacy: increasing access to low-cost or no-cost legal help, improving the quality and coordination of representation, and supporting projects that can effectively help victims pursue legal remedies tied to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, while expressly excluding any use of funds for criminal defense.Apply for OVW 2017 11920
- The Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women in the law, justice and legal services, other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OVW FY 2017 Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program Solicitation" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.524.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 04, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 16, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $800,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 60 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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