OVW FY2026 Funding | Grants to Strengthen Criminal Justice Response to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking
- Ty Boone
- Jun 12
- 2 min read
The Office on Violence Against Women has opened its FY2026 ICJR Program, one of the most direct federal funding pathways available to organizations working at the intersection of victim services and the criminal justice system.
Unlike many federal grants that fund research or law enforcement operations exclusively, this program is specifically designed to strengthen coordination between victim advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts. For established nonprofits, Tribal governments, and community-based organizations with documented victim services infrastructure and existing criminal justice partnerships, this is a high-priority opportunity.
Award amounts range from $400,000 to $1.5 million depending on category, and the application deadline gives organizations time to build a competitive submission if they start now.
Grant Breakdown
OVW FY2026 Grants to Improve the Criminal Justice Response Program (ICJR)
Assists Tribal, state, and local governments and courts in strengthening the criminal justice response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Focuses on offender accountability, victim safety, homicide reduction, protection order enforcement, and coordinated law enforcement and prosecutorial action.
Category 1
Award Amount: $500,000 to $1.5 million
Award Period: 36 months
Category 2
Award Amount: $400,000
Award Period: 24 months
Key Dates
Grants.gov Deadline: August 18, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET
JustGrants Deadline: August 20, 2026 at 4:59 p.m. ET
SAM and Grants.gov Registration Recommended By: July 18, 2026
Applicants must be registered with SAM and Grants.gov before applying. Start registration immediately if not already active.
Contact: OVW.ICJR@usdoj.gov or 202-307-6026
This program requires more than strong victim services programming. Funders will evaluate whether your organization has documented partnerships with law enforcement and prosecutors, measurable outcomes tied to offender accountability and victim safety, and the compliance infrastructure to manage a multi-year federal award. If you are not sure whether your programs and systems meet that bar, an organizational readiness assessment is the right first step.