OVW Fiscal Year 2022 Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program Solicitation | O OVW 2022 171026

Opportunity Information: Apply for O OVW 2022 171026

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Fiscal Year 2022 Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program Solicitation is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice designed to expand access to meaningful legal help for victims of interpersonal violence. Authorized under 34 U.S.C. 20121 and administered under CFDA 16.524, the program focuses on improving the availability of both civil and criminal legal assistance for adult and youth victims (ages 11 and older) affected by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The core idea is straightforward: victims often face urgent legal problems directly connected to abuse, and having strong, attorney-led legal representation can be the difference between safety and continued harm, stability and homelessness, or financial recovery and long-term economic damage.

This solicitation emphasizes that the funded work must provide comprehensive direct legal services, not just information, hotline support, intake, or referrals. Under the statutory definition referenced (34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(19)), intake or referral alone does not count as legal assistance for purposes of this program. Instead, projects are expected to deliver actual legal representation by a licensed attorney and to address the broad range of legal issues victims typically encounter as a result of violence. OVW frames this as a comprehensive response, meaning legal help should not be limited to a single court appearance or a narrow case type when the victim is dealing with multiple interconnected legal threats at the same time.

The types of legal matters supported under LAV are broad and include both civil and criminal justice related work that affects a victim's safety, privacy, and stability. On the civil side, the solicitation highlights representation in protection order proceedings (including emergency and non-emergency hearings) and related stay-away order processes. It also explicitly includes family law matters such as divorce, child custody, and child support, which are often central to a victim's ability to separate safely from an abuser. Beyond family court, LAV recognizes that violence frequently triggers housing and consumer problems, so eligible services can cover housing issues (such as eviction defense, lease termination, or safety-related relocation concerns), consumer matters, credit repair or restoration, and other legal steps that help victims regain economic independence. The program also recognizes legal needs in tribal and territorial matters, immigration cases, employment disputes, administrative agency proceedings, and campus administrative processes, reflecting how abuse can spill into nearly every part of a victim's life.

On the criminal justice side, the program allows legal assistance connected to investigations, prosecutions, and post-trial matters that impact the victim's safety and privacy. That can include helping victims understand and assert their rights during a case, addressing privacy protections, and supporting victims through sentencing and post-conviction stages such as parole and probation where safety concerns can remain high. The solicitation frames this work as victim-centered legal support that helps ensure the system does not unintentionally expose victims to further risk or retaliation.

In terms of who can apply, OVW lists a range of eligible applicants, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, Native American tribal organizations, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they meet the program's eligibility rules), and other entities as clarified in the solicitation's additional eligibility text. This mix reflects OVW's intent to fund legal service providers and partner organizations that can deliver specialized, trauma-informed legal representation, including services tailored to campus settings, tribal communities, and culturally specific needs.

Key funding details in the notice include an award ceiling of $800,000 per award, with an anticipated 56 awards. The opportunity number is OVW 2022-171026, and it was posted on January 25, 2022, with an original closing date of March 10, 2022. The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is Law, Justice and Legal Services, consistent with OVW's broader Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) implementation strategy.

Finally, the solicitation points applicants to OVW program materials and performance measurement resources, including OVW's Grants and Programs webpage and the VAWA Measuring Effectiveness Initiative. This signals that grantees are expected to track and report outcomes tied to OVW performance measures, showing how funded services contribute to program goals such as improved victim safety, increased access to justice, and longer-term stability and economic independence. The notice also references examples of successful projects discussed in OVW's report to Congress on the effectiveness of VAWA grant programs, reinforcing that the LAV program is meant to fund proven, hands-on legal representation models that directly change outcomes for victims rather than simply expanding general information or referral capacity.

• The Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OVW Fiscal Year 2022 Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program Solicitation" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.524.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jan 25, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 10, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $800,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 56 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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