OFVPS Family Violence Prevention and Services Act Grants

Enacted into law since 1984 under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. § 10401 -10414 ), the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (42 U.S.C. § et seg) (FVPSA) funds the federal response system to ensure vital crisis services and shelters are available to individuals experiencing domestic or dating violence and their dependents. When FVPSA was first written, Congress used the term “family violence” in the legislation as synonymous with domestic violence. However, as research and evidence has grown over the past 38 years of FVPSA’s existence, the more commonly used language of domestic violence and dating violence has been adopted; these definitions are consistent with those found in the Violence Against Women Act and the Victims of Crime Act.

The Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services (OFVPS) administers FVPSA funding and FVPSA grant programs to implement statutorily required services for the purposes of:

• Providing immediate shelter and supportive services for individuals experiencing domestic or dating violence and their dependents,
• Increasing public awareness and primary prevention of domestic and dating violence,
• Operating a national domestic violence hotline,
• Providing for specialized services to abused parents and their children, and
• Providing technical assistance and training relating to domestic and dating violence to local public agencies, non-profits, tribal organizations, and others, including the establishment of state domestic violence coalitions and national resource centers.

Through its grant programs, OFVPS puts the power to effectively address the prevalence of domestic violence into the hands of the community and supports their efforts to strengthen community-based services, while also funding prevention and public awareness efforts. These programs provide both a safe haven and an array of supportive services to intervene when help is needed and to prevent abuse. FVPSA Grant Programs include:

• Non-Competitive Mandatory/Formula Grants
  • State and Territorial Formula Grants
  • Native American Tribes Formula Grants
  • State and Territory Domestic Violence Coalitions Grants
• Competitive Discretionary Grants
  • Specialized Services to Abused Parents and their Children
  • Training and Technical Assistance Resource Centers Grants
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline Grant