Legal Assistance for Victims (16.524)
Legal Assistance for Victims (Assistance Listing 16.524) is run by the Offices, Boards and Divisions, part of the Department of Justice. It awarded $193 million in 300 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $644,353 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $600,000. Half of the 300 awards fell between $600,000 and $750,000, and they ranged from $350,000 to $1.5 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$193 million
- Grant awards300
- Typical award$600,000
- Awarded in FY 2025$39.0 million
- Size rank611 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceProject grants
Key findings
- Annual funding rose from $35.8 million in fiscal 2021 to $39.0 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 611th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 17% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 51 states and territories.
What the program funds
These grants are for increasing the availability of comprehensive civil and criminal legal services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in matters relating to or arising from the abuse or violence. The goal is to develop innovative, collaborative programs within the legal system that promote victim safety and increase victim economic autonomy.
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
Eligible grantees for this program are private, nonprofit entities, Indian tribal governments and tribal organizations, territorial organizations, and publicly funded organizations not acting in their governmental capacity, such as law schools.
What the money can and cannot pay for
The Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program provides an opportunity for communities to enhance legal assistance for victims. Funds may be used: (1) to implement, expand, and establish cooperative efforts and projects between domestic violence, dating viiolence, and sexual assault victim services organizations and legal assistance providers to provide legal assistance for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault; (2) to implement, expand, and establish efforts and projects to provide legal assistance for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault by organizations with a demonstrated history of providing direct legal or advocacy services on behalf of these victims; and (3) to implement, expand, and establish efforts and projects to provide competent, supervised pro bono legal assistance for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, except that not more than 10 percent of the funds awarded under this section may be used for this purpose.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Award range and average, in the agency's words
Range: $400,000-$900,000
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Legal Assistance for Victims (16.524) awarded $193 million across 300 grant awards, an average of $644,353 per award.
Who usually wins
Nonprofits received 97% of the money, tribes 1.5% and colleges and universities 1.3%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofits | 289 | $187 million | 97% |
| Tribal governments and organizations | 6 | $2.9 million | 1.5% |
| Colleges and universities | 4 | $2.6 million | 1.3% |
| Other | 1 | $596,351 | 0.3% |
By state
37 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 39 | $25.4 million |
| California | 33 | $21.3 million |
| Texas | 12 | $8.1 million |
| Washington | 10 | $6.8 million |
| Illinois | 11 | $6.8 million |
| Louisiana | 8 | $6.0 million |
| Georgia | 10 | $5.8 million |
| Maryland | 9 | $5.7 million |
| Minnesota | 9 | $5.7 million |
| Oklahoma | 9 | $5.6 million |
| Florida | 8 | $5.4 million |
| Pennsylvania | 8 | $5.4 million |
| Missouri | 7 | $5.3 million |
| Maine | 9 | $5.2 million |
| Montana | 8 | $5.2 million |
| Massachusetts | 8 | $5.1 million |
| Alaska | 8 | $5.0 million |
| Ohio | 7 | $4.5 million |
| District of Columbia | 6 | $4.3 million |
| Michigan | 6 | $4.0 million |
| New Mexico | 6 | $4.0 million |
| Wisconsin | 6 | $4.0 million |
| Kentucky | 5 | $3.3 million |
| Virginia | 4 | $2.7 million |
| South Carolina | 4 | $2.6 million |
| Oregon | 4 | $2.4 million |
| Idaho | 4 | $2.4 million |
| Iowa | 4 | $2.3 million |
| Puerto Rico | 3 | $1.9 million |
| New Jersey | 3 | $1.8 million |
| Tennessee | 3 | $1.8 million |
| Rhode Island | 3 | $1.6 million |
| North Dakota | 2 | $1.4 million |
| Colorado | 2 | $1.3 million |
| South Dakota | 2 | $1.3 million |
| North Carolina | 2 | $1.2 million |
| Indiana | 2 | $1.0 million |
| Nebraska | 2 | $999,273 |
| Nevada | 2 | $869,310 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $750,000 |
| Delaware | 1 | $750,000 |
| Guam | 1 | $750,000 |
| Vermont | 1 | $750,000 |
| West Virginia | 1 | $750,000 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 1 | $669,607 |
| American Samoa | 1 | $600,000 |
| Connecticut | 1 | $600,000 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $600,000 |
| Wyoming | 1 | $582,313 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $522,208 |
| Arizona | 1 | $400,000 |