The Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program provides funding to programs that address and prevent domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in rural areas. In 2024, they are accepting submissions for a Rural Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Initiative in addition to new and continuation applications.
The Office on Violence Against Women expects to award a total of $36.4 million to approximately 55 grantees. The maximum expected award amount varies by application type. There is no matching requirement. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a Letter of Intent to ovw.rural@usdoj.gov by Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Form SF-424 and SF-LLL are due through Grants.gov by April 12, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET. Full applications are due through JustGrants by April 16, 2024 at 8:59 PM ET.
Eligibility
Applicant
This grant is open to:
- State and local governments in the United States and its territories
- Native American Tribal governments
- Nonprofits organizations
Area
All projects must focus their services on rural communities and include eligibility documentation. The exception is federally recognized tribes, which are rural by definition.
A rural community is defined as:
- Any area or community, no part of which is within an area designated as a standard metropolitan statistical area by the Office of Management and Budget
- Any area or community that is – (A) within an area designated as a metropolitan statistical area or considered part of a metropolitan statistical area; and (B) located in a rural census tract
- Any federally recognized Indigenous tribe
Partnership
All applications must include at least one partner and either the lead applicant or the partner must be a “victim service provider.” A victim service provider is an organization, including a domestic violence shelter, rape crisis center, or domestic violence/sexual assault coalition, that assists or advocates on behalf of victims.
Applications for the SANE Initiative must have partnerships in which:
- Either the applicant or a partner have a mission specific to the provision of sexual assault services
- Either the applicant or a partner is a victim service provider, and any sexual assault services outside of the medical forensic exam should be provided by trained victim advocates
- Either the applicant or a partner must offer services to address the impact of sexual assault across the survivor’s lifespan.
- Staff implementing activities must have specialized training in sexual assault
Applicant Type
New
New applicants are those who have never received funding under this program or whose performance period ended before April 16, 2023.
New applicants are limited to $500,000, unless they are focusing 75% or more of their project on sexual assault. Then they may apply for up to $700,000 over 36 months.
Continuation
Continuation applicants have either a current award or one whose performance period ended after April 16, 2023. Continuation funds are not guaranteed.
Continuation applications are limited to $750,000 unless they are focusing 75% or more of their project on sexual assault. Then they may apply for up to $950,000 over 36 months.
SANE Initiative
Applicants may apply for both the SANE Initiative and a separate Rural Program, but they must submit two applications. SANE projects may request up to $500,000.
Possible SANE project activities include:
- Implementing a new sexual assault medical forensic exam or SANE program
- Establishing partnerships with local hospitals to secure facilities for sexual assault medical forensic exam services
- Partnering with or training qualified midwives and/or Registered Nurses to perform sexual assault medical forensic exam services
- Minimizing barriers to accessing sexual assault medical forensic exam services through assistance with transportation, emergency financial assistance, childcare, language access, etc.
- Purchasing equipment, kits, and other items needed for sexual assault medical forensic exams
Program Requirements
Programs must implement at least one of the following strategies:
- Implementing, expanding, and establishing cooperative efforts and projects among law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and victim service providers
- Providing treatment, counseling, advocacy, legal assistance, and other long- and short-term victim and population specific services
- Working in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies directed toward such issues
- Developing, enlarging, or strengthening programs addressing sexual assault
- Developing programs and strategies that focus on the specific needs of victims in remote rural and geographically isolated areas
Priority Areas
Priority consideration will be given to applications focused on one of the following.
Advance Equity and Tribal Sovereignty
Equity and trial sovereignty can be used to increase outreach, prevention, and services for historically marginalized communities. This grant does this by:
- Giving priority consideration to applications from Native American tribes, especially from Alaska and other states subject to mandatory Public Law 83-280. Access to funding will allow tribes to implement their own solutions to sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking.
- Giving priority consideration to applications from organizations with a demonstrated history of using culturally appropriate strategies to work with historically marginalized communities.
Strengthen Efforts to Prevent and End Sexual Assault
This grant supports this priority by:
- Giving priority consideration to applications that focus 75% or more on responding to non-intimate partner sexual assault. Activities may include prevention, outreach, offender intervention, medical forensic care, legal assistance, and victim services.
- Giving priority consideration to applications that focus 75% or more on improving the criminal justice response to sexual assault. This includes the investigation, charging, and prosecution of sexual assault crimes.
