The OVW state and territory domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions program, (coalitions program, cfda 16.556) is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 10441(c) and 34 U.S.C. 12511(d)

This $252,846 federal Formula Grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) under the State Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program (CFDA 16.556) supports the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs (WCSAP), the designated sexual assault coalition for the state of Washington. The grant funds will enable WCSAP to coordinate statewide victim services, collaborate with federal, state, and local entities, and implement initiatives addressing sexual assault. Key activities include working with local sexual assault programs, collaborating with judicial and law enforcement agencies, developing public education campaigns, planning grant fund distributions, and informing public officials about policies to reduce sexual assault. This one-year award, effective from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025, allows WCSAP to expand its technological capacity, develop service standards, conduct statewide meetings, identify service gaps, and promote coalition-building efforts across Washington.

This grant program supports the critical work of state and territory domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions. IT is a set-aside program under the OVW stop violence against women formula grant program statute and also includes a statutory set aside from the sexual assault services program (sasp) statute, specifically for state and territory sexual assault coalitions. Grant funds authorized under the stop set-aside may be used for one or more of the following purposes: 1. Coordinating state and territory victim services activities. 2. Collaborating and coordinating with federal, state, territory, and local entities engaged in violence against women activities. Grant funds authorized under the sasp set-aside may be used for one or more of the following purposes: a) working with local sexual assault programs and other providers of direct services to encourage appropriate responses to sexual assault within the state or territory. B) working with judicial or law enforcement agencies to encourage appropriate responses to sexual assault cases. C) working with courts, child protective services agencies, and childrens advocates to develop appropriate responses to child custody and visitation issues when sexual assault has been determined to be a factor. D) designing and conducting public education campaigns. E) planning and monitoring the distribution of grants and grant funds to their state or territory. F) collaborating with and informing federal, state, or local public officials and agencies to develop and implement policies to reduce or eliminate sexual assault.