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 Northern Nevada Legal Aid $692,274 on October 1, 2025, under the Legal Assistance for Victims (CFDA 16.524) grant program to provide comprehensive legal representation to victims and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking across eight Nevada counties.

Northern Nevada Legal Aid, in partnership with sub-recipient Safe Embrace, delivers direct legal services in family law, protection order, housing, consumer protection, employment, immigration, and criminal justice matters in Washoe, Elko, Carson City, Humboldt, Lyon, Douglas, Storey, and Churchill counties, with administrative headquarters in Reno, Nevada. The award encompasses legal assistance in family and tribal proceedings, post-conviction relief, criminal justice investigations and prosecutions, and alternative dispute resolution processes that prioritize victim safety and autonomy. During the three-year performance period through September 30, 2028, the recipient will develop an updated legal screening and intake tool. This is a continuation award following a prior LAV grant (15JOVW-22-GG-00299-LEGA) that concluded September 30, 2025. The Legal Assistance for Victims program authorizes grants to increase availability of civil and criminal legal services for abuse victims ages 11 and older in matters arising from covered violence.

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, northern nevada legal aid, in partnership with safe embrace, will provide legal representation to victims and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking including but not limited to protection order cases, consumer protection cases, housing cases, and family law cases in washoe county, and also in elko county, carson city, humboldt county, lyon county, douglas county, storey county, and churchill county in nevada. The following productwill be developed during the project period: an updated legal screening and intake tool. This award is a continuation of 15JOVW-22-GG-00299-lega.