The legal assistance for victims (LAV) grant program, authorized by 34 U.S.C. 20121, is intended to increase the availability of civil and criminal legal assistance needed to effectively aid victims…

The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded $750,000 to Family Violence Project on October 1, 2025, under the Legal Assistance for Victims grant program (CFDA 16.524) to provide legal representation in family law and protection order cases to victims and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Kennebec and Somerset counties in central Maine.

The award funds a continuation of legal assistance services through September 30, 2028. Family Violence Project partners with Pine Tree Legal Assistance, a sub-recipient that provides holistic legal representation and advocacy addressing survivors' immediate safety concerns and barriers to independence and self-sufficiency, along with supervision and mentoring to legal advocates. Services cover family law matters, protection or stay-away order proceedings, housing and employment assistance, immigration matters, criminal justice investigations and prosecutions, and post-trial matters impacting victim safety and privacy. Place of performance is Augusta, Maine.

The legal assistance for victims (LAV) grant program, authorized by 34 U.S.C. 20121, is intended to increase the availability of civil and criminal legal assistance needed to effectively aid victims (ages 11 and older) of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by providing funds for comprehensive direct legal services to victims in legal matters relating to or arising out of that abuse or violence. Legal assistance includes assistance to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in: a) family, tribal, territorial, immigration, employment, administrative agency, housing matters, campus administrative, or protection or stay away order proceedings, and other similar matters; b) criminal justice investigations, prosecutions, and post-trial matters (including sentencing, parole, and probation) that impact the victims safety and privacy; c) alternative dispute resolution, restorative practices, or other processes intended to promote victim safety, privacy, and autonomy; and d) post-conviction relief proceedings in state, local, tribal, or territorial court where the conviction of a victim is related to or arising from domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or SEX trafficking. 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(24)(c). Through this continuation legal assistance for victims project, family violence project, in partnership with pine tree legal assistance, will provide representation in family law and protection order cases to victims and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking in kennebec and somerset counties in central maine. This award is a continuation of 15JOVW-21-GG-00354-lega.