The Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program (TSASP) provides funding to Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and nonprofit Tribal organizations for the operation of sexual assault programs or projects in Indian Tribal lands and Alaska Native villages to support the establishment, maintenance, and expansion of programs and projects to assist those victimized by sexual assault.

Priorities

• Priorities Applications that fare well in merit review and substantively address one or more of the priorities listed below, to the extent consistent with the program’s authorizing statute, may receive priority consideration for funding:
  • Measures to combat human trafficking and transnational crime, particularly crimes linked to illegal immigration and cartel operations, that support safety and justice for trafficking victims who have also suffered domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and/or stalking;
  • Projects to provide victim services, especially housing, and improve law enforcement response in rural and remote areas, Tribal nations, and small towns that often lack resources to effectively combat domestic violence and sexual assault.

Funding Information

• Expected Total Amount of Funding $8,224,117
• Expected Award Amount(s) Up to $600,000
• Expected Award Period(s) 36 months

Eligible Activities

• Applicants that receive funding under this program will be required to engage in the following activities:
  • Participate in OVW-sponsored training and technical assistance (TTA).
  • Collect and report performance indicators. Forms, instructions, training, and related tools for each OVW program are available on the VAWA Measuring Effectiveness Initiative webpage.
  • Participate in an assessment or evaluation, if OVW conducts one that requires recipient involvement.
  • New recipients may be required to participate in technical assistance to further develop the project design and implementation plan and revised budget.
  • Provision of direct victim services to survivors of sexual assault.

Ineligible Activities

• The activities listed below are out of the program scope and will not be funded.
  • Research projects. Funds under this program may not be used to conduct research, defined by 28 C.F.R. § 46.102(d) as a systematic investigation designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. However, assessments conducted for internal improvement purposes only may be allowable. For information on distinguishing between research and assessments, see the Application Companion Guide.
  • Promoting or facilitating the violation of federal immigration law.
  • Inculcating or promoting gender ideology as defined in Executive Order 14168, Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.
  • Promoting or facilitating discriminatory programs or ideology, including illegal DEI and “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility” programs that do not advance the policy of equal dignity and respect, as described in Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity. This prohibition is not intended to interfere with any of OVW’s statutory obligations, such as funding for HBCUs, culturally specific services, and disability programs.
  • Activities that frame domestic violence or sexual assault as systemic social justice issues rather than criminal offenses (e.g., prioritizing criminal justice reform or social justice theories over victim safety and offender accountability).
  • Generic community engagement or economic development without a clear link to violence prevention, victim safety, or offender accountability.
  • Programs that discourage collaboration with law enforcement or oppose or limit the role of police, prosecutors, or immigration enforcement in addressing violence against women.
  • Awareness campaigns or media that do not lead to tangible improvements in prevention, victim safety, or offender accountability.
  • Initiatives that prioritize illegal aliens over U.S. citizens and legal residents in receiving victim services and support.
  • Excessive funding for consulting fees, training, administrative costs, or other expenses not related to measurable violence prevention, victim support, and offender accountability.
  • Any activity or program that unlawfully violates an Executive Order.
  • Activities focused on prevention and public education, criminal justice-related projects, including updating legal codes or funding law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and forensic interviews.
  • Providing domestic violence or dating violence victim services unrelated to intimate partner sexual violence.
  • Funding and implementation of Sexual Assault Forensic Medical Examiner programs (accompaniment for victims during exams is allowable and within the scope of the program).
  • Sexual Assault Response Team coordination, (attending meetings is allowable and within the scope of the program).
  • Providing training to allied professionals and the community (e.g., law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, other community-based organizations or Tribal agencies).

Ineligible Costs

• Grant funds under this program also may not be used for the following costs:
  • Lobbying.
  • Fundraising.
  • Purchase of real property.
  • Physical modifications to buildings, including minor renovations (such as painting or carpeting).
  • Construction.

Eligibility Criteria

• Entities that are eligible to apply are:
  • Indian Tribal Governments
    • The governing body of an Indian Tribe;
    • A Tribe, band, pueblo, nation, or other organized group or community of Indians, including any Alaska Native Village or regional or village corporation (as defined in, or established pursuant to, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. §§ 1601 et seq.)), that is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians (34 U.S.C. § 12291(a)(43)).
  • Tribal Organizations
    • The governing body of any Indian Tribe;
    • Any legally established organization of Indians which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by such governing body of a Tribe or Tribes to be served, or which is democratically elected by the adult members of the Indian community to be served by such organization, and which includes the maximum participation of Indians in all phases of its activities;
    • Any Tribal nonprofit organization (34 U.S.C. § 12291(a) (45)).
  • Tribal Nonprofit Organizations
    • A victim services provider that has as its primary purpose to assist Native victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and staff and leadership of the organization must include persons with a demonstrated history of assisting American Indian or Alaska Native victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking (34 U.S.C. § 12291(a) (44)).
    • Any entity that is eligible for this program based on its status as a nonprofit organization must be an organization that is described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of that Code. See 34 U.S.C. § 12291(b)(15) (B)(i).

For more information, visit Grants.gov.

https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/360140