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)

The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault $243,213 on October 1, 2025, under the State Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program (CFDA 16.556), a formula grant supporting statewide coordination of victim services and violence prevention activities.

The award funds coordination of state victim services activities; collaboration and coordination with federal, state, territory, and local entities engaged in violence against women activities; work with local sexual assault programs and other direct-service providers to encourage appropriate responses to sexual assault; engagement with judicial and law enforcement agencies on sexual assault case response; collaboration with courts, child protective services agencies, and children's advocates on custody and visitation issues when sexual assault is a factor; public education campaigns on sexual assault; planning and monitoring of grant distribution to the state; and coordination with federal, state, and local officials to develop and implement policies to reduce or eliminate sexual assault.

Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault, a tax-exempt nonprofit based in St. Paul serving as the designated statewide coalition addressing violence against women in Minnesota, operates as a coordinating entity bringing together federal, state, and local partners to develop comprehensive strategies and standards for addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking across the state.

The period of performance runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, with place of performance at St. Paul, Minnesota.

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.