Culturally Specific Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services
🏛 Administration for Children and Families - OFVPS
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations providing or expanding culturally specific domestic violence and sexual assault services. Eligible applicants typically include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, tribal organizations, and other entities with demonstrated expertise in serving survivors from specific cultural, racial, ethnic, or immigrant communities. The program supports prevention, intervention, and survivor support services tailored to the cultural context of the populations served. Geographic scope is nationwide, and funded activities include direct services, counseling, emergency shelter, legal advocacy, and community education addressing cultural barriers to accessing support.
Key dates
- May 13, 2026 Applications open
- Aug 7, 2026 Application deadline in 67 days
- Sep 30, 2026 Award announced
- Sep 30, 2026 Project start
This grant is for organizations providing or expanding culturally specific domestic violence and sexual assault services. Eligible applicants typically include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, tribal organizations, and other entities with demonstrated expertise in serving survivors from specific cultural, racial, ethnic, or immigrant communities. The program supports prevention, intervention, and survivor support services tailored to the cultural context of the populations served. Geographic scope is nationwide, and funded activities include direct services, counseling, emergency shelter, legal advocacy, and community education addressing cultural barriers to accessing support.
Program description
The purpose of the Culturally Specific Services for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault program is to provide culturally specific services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Objectives include services for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence to address emergent needs resulting from a public health emergency and other public health concerns and support for organizations to promote strategic partnership development and collaboration in responding to the impact of public health concerns on survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.
Optional activities include providing legal advocacy, job training and employment services, and identifying secure and safe affordable temporary or permanent housing.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- Faith-based Organization
- Immigrant Services Organization
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public University
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
Details
This grant is for organizations providing or expanding culturally specific domestic violence and sexual assault services. Eligible applicants typically include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, tribal organizations, and other entities with demonstrated expertise in serving survivors from specific cultural, racial, ethnic, or immigrant communities. The program supports prevention, intervention, and survivor support services tailored to the cultural context of the populations served. Geographic scope is nationwide, and funded activities include direct services, counseling, emergency shelter, legal advocacy, and community education addressing cultural barriers to accessing support.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 Federal Application for Grants and Cooperative Agreements
- Project narrative (typically 15-25 pages, covering goals, target population, services, staffing, evaluation plan)
- Detailed project budget and budget narrative
- Organizational capacity documentation (letters of support, partnership agreements, staff bios)
- Logic model or program flowchart
- Evaluation plan with culturally appropriate outcome measures
- Evidence of organizational fiscal management and compliance
- Proof of nonprofit status and tax-exempt determination letter
- Organizational chart and job descriptions for key staff
Program contact
- 👤 Jan-Sheri Morris
- 📧 Jan-Sheri.Morris@acf.hhs.gov
- 📞 (202) 480-1328
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.496 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$13,200,000
-
$1,050,000
-
$1,050,000
-
$700,000
-
$428,570
-
$428,570
-
$428,570
-
$428,570
-
$428,570
-
$428,570
Top States by Funding
- DC 3 awards $14.1M
- CA 6 awards $2.6M
- MN 3 awards $1.9M
- TX 4 awards $1.7M
- MA 3 awards $1.3M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.496). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $7,500,000 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, tribal organizations, faith-based organizations, and community-based groups with expertise serving specific cultural or ethnic communities affected by domestic violence and sexual assault.
What geographic areas does this grant cover?
This is a nationwide competitive grant program. Organizations in any U.S. state or territory may apply if they meet eligibility requirements.
What types of activities and services are funded?
Funded activities include direct victim services, emergency shelter, counseling and trauma support, legal advocacy, safety planning, cultural competency training, and community prevention education tailored to specific populations.
How competitive is this grant?
This is a highly competitive federal program. Strong applications demonstrate cultural expertise, evidence-based service approaches, sustainable funding plans, and strong community partnerships.
What is the typical funding range?
Grant amounts vary based on scope and need, but HHS domestic violence grants typically range from $100,000 to $500,000+ annually. Check current NOFO for specific award ranges.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize your organization's cultural competency and lived experience within the specific community you serve; this is central to what this grant funds
- Build a strong coalition with complementary organizations (legal aid, housing, mental health) to demonstrate comprehensive service coordination
- Use data and evidence from your community to document barriers to accessing services and how your culturally specific approach addresses them
- Ensure your evaluation plan includes culturally appropriate outcomes measures that go beyond standard metrics
- Highlight sustainable funding beyond this grant, including committed partnerships, in-kind resources, and diversified revenue streams
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail by proposing generic domestic violence services without genuine cultural specificity, or by lacking sufficient expertise and relationships within the target community. Many weak applications also underestimate the evaluation burden or provide vague service descriptions without clear evidence that services will actually be culturally responsive and trauma-informed.
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