Ronald E. Lampard, Director

GRANT PROGRAM: Crime Victims Assistance Act Formula Grant Program

Program Purpose:

CVA seeks to enable states to assist victims of crime by providing comprehensive and coordinated direct services. Private non-profit agencies and local units of government are awarded grants to provide direct services to victims, like counseling and services for victims of domestic violence, elderly or child abuse, sexual abuse victims, and special police units trained to help these victims.

The federal Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) administers the Crime Victims Fund (established under the 1984 Victims of Crime Act) to help victims and victim service providers with program funding in accordance with OVC's goal to improve the treatment of victims of crime by providing them with assistance and services they need to speed recovery from a criminal act and to support and aid them as they move through the criminal justice process.

OVC awards grants to states according to formulas established in the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). OVC distributes approximately 90 percent of the money collected by the Fund in the form of two major formula grant programs to state agencies: Victim Compensation and Victim Assistance.

Limitations:

• 20 percent cash match.
• No funds may be used for land acquisition or construction projects.
• Supplanting is not allowed.
• The program requires funded agencies to provide cash or in-kind match, use volunteers and assist victims with filing for compensation through the Crime Victims Reparations Program through the Sheriffs? Offices around the state, and encourage reporting to law enforcement.

Additional Information:

• Eligible agencies are units of local government and 501C3 private non-profit agencies.

  • METLEC PARISHES INCLUDE: Assumption, Lafourche, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Tammany and Terrebonne
  • CJCC PARISHES INCLUDE: Jefferson
• Eligible applicants must have their program?s application approved by the Jefferson Parish CJCC Board or the METLEC Board before the applications are sent to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement for final approval and award of funds.
• Grant funds cannot be used to replace or supplant normal operation. Funds must be used to increase services.

For more information, call the Community Justice Agency at 504-736-6844 or search the Web at  https://www.ovc.gov/.