OVW Fiscal Year 2024 Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program Expanding Legal Services Initiative

The Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program (CFDA 16.524) 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 victim’s 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). The LAV Grant Program’s Expanding Legal Services Initiative (ELSI) is intended to enable eligible organizations that do not currently offer legal services to establish a program that provides legal representation to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Organizations funded under this solicitation may be eligible for up to five years of funding, two years under this solicitation and an additional three years of noncompetitive funding, provided certain financial and programmatic conditions are met.