The sexual assault services formula program (SAS formula program) was created by the violence against women and department of justice reauthorization act of 2005 (vawa 2005), 34 U.S.C. § 12511

The Department of Justice Offices Boards and Divisions Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $662,249 Sexual Assault Services Formula Grant to the Executive Office of the State of Maryland on August 1, 2022 to complete the project by July 31, 2024.

Through subawards, the funding supports 14 nonprofit organizations across Maryland to deliver direct services for victims of sexual assault, including crisis intervention, counseling, medical advocacy, legal assistance, and 24-hour hotlines. Subrecipients include the Southern Maryland Center for Family Advocacy, Cecil County Government, The Sexual Assault/Spouse Abuse Resource Center Inc., Heartly House Inc., Hopeworks of Howard County Inc., Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault, and others serving both urban and rural communities statewide. The grant aims to increase support for victims of sexual violence and supplement other funding sources for these services in Maryland pursuant to the Sexual Assault Services Formula Program (CFDA 16.017).

The SAS formula program directs grant dollars to states and territories to assist them in supporting rape crisis centers (including governmental rape crisis centers not in territories and tribal governmental programs) and nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that provide core services, direct intervention, and related assistance to victims of sexual assault, regardless of age. Funds provided through the SAS formula program are designed to supplement other funding sources directed at addressing sexual assault on the state and territorial levels. Rape crisis centers and other nonprofit organizations, such as dual programs providing both domestic violence and sexual assault intervention services, play a vital role in assisting sexual assault victims through the healing process, as well as assisting victims through the medical, criminal justice, and other social support systems.