Demonstration Grants for Domestic Victims of Human Trafficking

The Domestic Victims of Human Trafficking (DVHT) Program is a comprehensive federal initiative administered by the Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) to support the identification, assistance, and prevention of human trafficking among domestic p

DVHT-SO and VHT-NC are designed to provide trauma-informed, victim-centered services to individuals who have experienced sex and/or labor trafficking. Both programs are guided by a whole family approach, which emphasizes support for victims and their immediate family members residing in the same household. Key objectives include: Provision of comprehensive case management and victim assistance services. Implementation of outreach strategies to increase identification of domestic victims of human trafficking. Promotion of community partnerships, survivor engagement, and recruitment of competent professionals reflective of the populations served. VHT-NC specifically targets Native American communities and includes additional objectives: Tailored outreach to identify Native American victims of trafficking. Public awareness activities to educate local communities and service providers. HTYPE focuses on prevention education for youth and school personnel. It funds local educational agencies (LEAs) to develop and implement skills-based human trafficking prevention programs in collaboration with nonprofit or nongovernmental organizations. Key objectives include: Development of a cohesive prevention strategy within school systems. Delivery of human trafficking education and training to students and school staff. Capacity-building to support sustainable prevention efforts. Funds awarded under the DVHT Program may be used to support the following activities: Direct services including case management, housing assistance, mental health services, and other supports for trafficking survivors. Outreach and public awareness campaigns to improve victim identification and community engagement. Training and education initiatives for school personnel, students, and community stakeholders. Capacity-building efforts to strengthen local infrastructure and service delivery systems.

For DVHT Programs, which includes DVHT-SO and VHT-NC, eligible organizations include: state governments, tribes, units of local government, and non-profit, non-governmental victim service organizations. OTIP defines victim service organizations as those that by nature of their current operations serve victims of sexual assault, sexual violence, domestic violence, human trafficking, and youth homelessness. Victim service organizations may also include faith-based organizations, non-profit federally qualified health centers, and other non-profit health care facilities that serve or plan to serve victims of human trafficking. Individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible. Institutions of higher education and for-profit organizations are not eligible. For the HTYPE Demonstration Program, in accordance with the authorizing statute, eligible applicants for funding will include local education agencies (LEAs). A LEA is a public board of education or other public authority legally constituted within a state for either administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service function for, public elementary schools or secondary schools in a city, county, township, school district, or other political subdivision of a state, or for a combination of school districts or counties that is recognized in a state as an administrative agency for its public elementary schools or secondary schools. A LEA is also an elementary or secondary school funded by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), which includes BIE operated schools and tribally controlled schools operated pursuant to either a Tribally Controlled Schools Act (25 U.S.C. 2501 et. seq.) award or an Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5301 et. seq.) contract, but only for the limited purpose of providing eligibility for a award assistance under federal award programs for which BIE funded schools would otherwise not be eligible. See 20 U.S.C. § 7801(30)(C). LEAs may apply on their own or as the lead applicant for a consortium of LEAs. A consortium is a project carried out by a lead applicant and one or more other organizations that are separate eligible legal entities. LEAs must partner with a nonprofit or NGO to be eligible. The nonprofit or NGO partner must either be located within the geographic area of the proposed project or have a national scope and experience in implementing similar projects in multiple geographic locations.

Eligible beneficiaries for the DVHT-SO Programs include United States citizens and lawful permanent residents who are victims of severe forms of human trafficking as defined by the TVPA of 2000, as amended. Eligible beneficiaries for the VHT-NC Demonstration Program are limited to Native American victims of severe forms of human trafficking, as defined by the TVPA of 2000, as amended. Eligible beneficiaries for the HTYPE Demonstration Program are K-12 aged students enrolled in local educational agencies.

Programs funded under the DVHT Program, including DVHT-SO and VHT-NC, fund comprehensive case management services to domestic victims of trafficking. Eligible recipients for DVHT Program services include United States citizens and lawful permanent residents in select states. DVHT Programs leverage existing systems, fill in service gaps, and build capacity of direct service providers. Under the DVHT, OTIP requires providers to use a comprehensive case management approach that is trauma-informed and person-centered approaches in all project activities. Comprehensive case management services for the program include, but are not limited to referrals, emergency assistance (such as food and clothing), and support to gain access to housing, employability services, mental health assistance, substance use assistance, medical care, and some legal services. The HTYPE Demonstration Program funds LEAs as prime recipients to partner with a nonprofit or NGO to build the capacity of selected schools to provide skills-based human trafficking prevention education for educators, other staff, and students, and establish a human trafficking specific school protocol that addresses the safety, security, and well-being of staff and students. The HTYPE Demonstration Program is informed by the public health approach, which focuses on defining and monitoring the problem, identifying risk and protective factors, developing and testing prevention strategies, and assuring widespread dissemination.

Awards are generally made for 5-year project periods with funding on an annual basis. In the first year of the project, awards were made on a competitive basis. Award applications will be considered on a noncompetitive basis for subsequent years until the conclusion of the project period subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the recipient, and a determination that continued funding would be in the best interest of the Federal Government.

Information on evaluation criteria for awarding funds can be found in the NOFO.

Each application will be screened to determine whether it meets any of the disqualifying factors: missing the application deadline, required electronic submission or waiver requested and approved, or exceeding the Award Ceiling. Disqualified applications are considered to be "non-responsive" and are excluded from the competitive review process. Applications competing for financial assistance will be reviewed and evaluated by objective review panels. Criteria of the NOFO. Each panel is composed of experts with knowledge and experience in the area under review. Generally, review panels include three reviewers and one chairperson. Results of the competitive objective review are taken into consideration by ACF in the selection of projects for funding; however, objective review scores and rankings are not binding. Scores and rankings are only one element used in the award decision-making process. ACF reserves the right to consider preferences to fund organizations serving emerging, unserved, or under-served populations, including those populations located in pockets of poverty. In addition, ACF reserves the right to evaluate applications in the larger context of the overall portfolio by considering geographic distribution of federal funds (e.g., ensuring coverage of states, counties, or service areas) in its pre-award decisions. ACF will also consider the geographic distribution of federal funds in its award decisions. ACF may elect not to fund applicants with management or financial problems that would indicate an inability to successfully complete the proposed project. In addition, ACF may elect to not allow a prime recipient to subaward if there is any indication that they are unable to properly monitor and manage subrecipients. Applications may be funded in whole or in part. Successful applicants may be funded at an amount lower than requested.

Contact the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Grants Management or review the NOFO, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Awards are generally made for 5-year project periods. Non-competing continuations will be issued based on availability of funds, satisfactory progress, compliance with award terms and conditions and a determination that continuation funding is in the best interest of the federal government.

There is no appeal process for unsuccessful applicants. For existing recipients, appeals in regards to disputes may take place in accordance with 45 CFR Part 16, subject to the limitations of the Appendix A.