Grants to Reduce Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking on Campus

The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) funds development and strengthening of security, investigation, and victim services strategies to address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on college and university campuses, under Assistance Listing 16.525, with the most recent grant awards dated October 1, 2024.

The program maintains active grant activity. In the past five years (2020–2024), OVW awarded between 37 and 52 grants annually, totaling 776 awards since the program's inception in 1999. The most recent award cohort closed on October 1, 2024. Recent opportunities have been posted regularly; the FY 2025 Campus Program solicitation closed July 8, 2025, and the FY 2025 Addressing Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking at HSIs, HBCUs, and TCUs Initiative closed September 9, 2025.

Funded activities support comprehensive, campus-based coordinated community responses spanning victim services (including legal, medical, and psychological support), prevention education and awareness programming, and security and investigation strategy development. Recent awards show two distinct tracks: the general Campus Program funds multidisciplinary approaches at eligible institutions of higher education, while the Strengthening Culturally Specific Campus Approaches (CSC) Initiative directs resources to HBCUs, HSIs, and TCUs to build capacity for culturally tailored prevention protocols and victim services. Award descriptions detail activities including bystander intervention training, 24-hour victim advocacy, coordinated community response team development, and staff training for campus law enforcement and disciplinary personnel.

The portfolio is dominated by Project Grants (679 awards, 88 percent of the total), with smaller shares of Block Grants (91 awards, 12 percent) and Cooperative Agreements (6 awards, 1 percent). The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women accounts for the vast majority of funding: 705 awards totaling $232.6 million in federal dollars obligated (90 percent of all awards and 90 percent of federal dollars), with subordinate Department of Justice entities funding the remainder. Combined federal obligation across all awards totals $258.2 million.

Representative recent awards (October 1, 2024) include Harris-Stowe State University ($500 thousand) for developing culturally specific strategies for first-year women and first-generation students; Goodwin University ($400 thousand) for creating a coordinated community response and 24-hour confidential victim services; and Lycoming College ($400 thousand, continuation award) for victim advocacy, bystander intervention expansion, and restorative justice program development. Culturally specific initiatives at HBCUs, HSIs, and TCUs typically receive $489 thousand to $500 thousand per award.

Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education as defined under the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 that comply with campus crime reporting requirements under 20 U.S.C. 1092(f), including consortia of eligible institutions. Award length is specified in each NOFO; funds are released as needed to grantees. Renewals are considered competitively on a case-by-case basis. Recipients must apply through Grants.gov and the Department of Justice's JustGrants System and retain financial and supporting records for three years from final expenditure report submission.