The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) seeks applications for funding to support housing assistance for victims of all forms of human trafficking throughout the United States.
Donor Name: Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/30/2023
Size of the Grant: $600,000 – $2,000,000
Grant Duration: 36 months
Details:
To enhance capacity to identify, assist, and provide services to all victims of human trafficking, OVC leads the Nation in supporting victim-centered and trauma-informed programs, policies, and resources that promote justice, access, and empowerment. With this solicitation, OVC seeks to provide funding for housing services for victims of human trafficking, as defined by 22 U.S.C. § 7102(11).
This solicitation has three purpose areas with specific goals, objectives, and deliverables. Purpose Areas 1 and 2 will support direct housing assistance to victims of human trafficking, while Purpose Area 3 will provide training and technical assistance (TTA) to organizations providing housing assistance to survivors of trafficking. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read through each category carefully to ensure that their application is tailored to fit the requirements identified in this solicitation.
Purpose Area 1: Developing Capacity to Provide Housing Assistance to Human Trafficking Victims
The purpose of these awards is to support (1) organizations that have experience providing housing services but that have limited or no prior experience in serving victims of human trafficking; (2) anti-trafficking organizations that have limited or no prior experience in providing housing services to victims of human trafficking, and/or (3) organizations that have no prior experience in receiving direct federal funding to serve victims of human trafficking. During the first 12 months of the project period, grantees will work with designated OVC human trafficking TTA providers to build internal capacity to provide housing services for survivors of labor and sex trafficking and implement a federal award. Grantees will hire staff who have experience providing services to human trafficking victims or train existing staff to address identified skill or knowledge deficits. During the last 24 months of the program, grantees will provide housing assistance and support services for human trafficking victims.
Purpose Area 2: Enhancing Access to Housing Assistance for Human Trafficking Victims
Under Purpose Area 2, awards will be made to organizations with a demonstrated history of providing human trafficking victims with housing assistance and support services (or that have a formal partnership with a victim service provider with demonstrated experience). The purpose of these awards is to enhance victims’ access to housing assistance and the diverse support services that victims of labor and sex trafficking often require to address their needs. In addition to providing housing assistance, applicants funded under this purpose area are expected to use OVC funding to support two additional types of services for victims of human trafficking receiving housing assistance, either directly or through subrecipients.
Purpose Area 3: Housing Training and Technical Assistance
Survivors of human trafficking often experience challenges in securing and retaining safe, affordable housing, particularly survivors who face multiple barriers, such as criminal records, limited English proficiency, immigration status, and lack of credit history. In its 2022 Annual Report, the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking observed that access to affordable housing combined with engagement in the justice system increases individuals’ vulnerabilities to human trafficking. In addition, few emergency shelters or housing programs are trained or equipped to serve victims of human trafficking. Facilitating survivors’ access to permanent housing and self-sufficiency is essential in providing stability and promoting survivor well-being. Since 2020, OVC has supported specialized TTA focused on building the capacity of victim service and housing providers to provide housing assistance to victims of all forms of human trafficking. This housing TTA award continues that work.
Goals
For Purpose Areas 1 and 2: The goal of this program is to support organizations with the capacity to implement collaborative, coordinated, and comprehensive housing models in providing trafficking survivors with safe, stable housing and appropriate trauma-informed, victim-centered, and culturally responsive services. Organizations aren to engage with appropriate local partners to address the needs of victims of human trafficking leading to increased autonomy, self-sufficiency, safety, and well-being.
For Purpose Area 3: The primary program goals are to—
- support victim service and housing providers to develop, enhance, and expand housing assistance for victims of human trafficking.
- strengthen and expand the skills, expertise, and capacity of victim service and housing providers to provide trauma-informed services to victims of human trafficking.
- increase collaboration among anti-trafficking service providers, community partners, and other stakeholders to enhance identification, referrals, and service delivery.
- support OVC anti-trafficking housing grantees in meeting their award goals and objectives.
Objectives
For Purpose Areas 1 and 2: The objectives are to—
- deliver and expand housing interventions and related support services for victims of human trafficking.
- collaborate with and train local partners (e.g., housing and service providers, community- and faith-based organizations) to improve their knowledge and ability to identify and appropriately respond to human trafficking victims.
- provide victims of human trafficking with trauma-informed, victim-centered support
- services or referrals for other essential services.
- develop and implement housing policies and training that consistently incorporate low-barrier, victim-centered, trauma-informed, and collaborative approaches.
- work collaboratively with federal, state, and local entities to identify barriers to housing and develop collaborative models to meet the housing needs of victims of human trafficking.
- improve outcomes for victims of human trafficking.
- collect data and conduct ongoing assessment activities to determine if the program is meeting the stated goals and objectives.
For Purpose Area 3: The overall objectives are to provide training and technical assistance and subject matter expertise to organizations in achieving increased safety, independence, self-efficacy, and well-being for victims of human trafficking in need of housing using a trauma-informed, victim-centered model. The objectives are to—
- provide intensive TTA to OVC grantees implementing human trafficking housing awards, including establishing and building relationships among grantees and local stakeholders, and reviewing policy and procedure materials.
- develop and disseminate resources and training on housing options and collaborations, applicable civil rights statutes, and program sustainability.
- increase service providers’ expertise and specialized skills.
- collaborate with other OVC human trafficking TTA providers.
- support award assessment activities.
Priority Areas
The Department of Justice is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens community safety and protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community.
Priority Considerations Supporting Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government
In support of this Executive Order, OJP will provide priority consideration when making award decisions to the following:
- Applications that propose project(s) that are designed to promote racial equity and the removal of barriers to access and opportunity for communities that have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by inequality.
- To receive this consideration, the applicant must describe how the proposed project(s) will address potential racial inequities and contribute to greater access to services and opportunities for communities that have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by inequality, and identify how the project design and implementation will specifically incorporate the input or participation of those communities and populations disproportionately impacted by crime, violence, and the criminal justice system overall. Examples addressing this requirement include, but are not limited to, the following: budgeted project planning and/or implementation meetings with community stakeholders representing historically underserved and marginalized communities; outreach and/or public awareness campaigns specifically tailored to historically underserved and marginalized communities to encourage participation in the proposed project(s); budgeted incorporation of members representing historically underserved and marginalized communities in program evaluation, surveys, or other means of project feedback; and partnership with organizations that primarily serve communities that have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by inequality.
- Applicants that demonstrate that their capabilities and competencies for implementing their proposed project(s) are enhanced because they (or at least one proposed subrecipient that will receive at least 40% of the requested award funding, as demonstrated in the Budget Web-Based Form) identify as a culturally specific organization.
- To receive this additional priority consideration, applicants must describe how being a culturally specific organization (or funding the culturally specific subrecipient organization (s)) will enhance their ability to implement the proposed project(s) and should also specify which populations are intended or expected to be served or to have their needs addressed under the proposed project(s).
- Culturally specific organizations are defined for the purposes of this solicitation as private nonprofit or tribal organizations whose primary purpose as a whole is to provide culturally specific services to racial and ethnic groups, including, among others, Black people, Hispanic and Latino people, Native American and other Indigenous peoples of North America (including Alaska Native, Eskimo, and Aleut), Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and/or Pacific Islanders.
Funding Information
- Purpose Area 1: Developing Capacity to Provide Housing Assistance to Human Trafficking Victims
- Anticipated Total Amount to be Awarded Under Solicitation: $17,000,000
- Dollar Amount for Award: $600,000
- Period of Performance: 36 months
- Purpose Area 2: Enhancing Access to Housing Assistance for Human Trafficking Victims
- Anticipated Total Amount to be Awarded Under Solicitation: $17,000,000
- Dollar Amount for Award: $1,200,000
- Period of Performance: 36 months
- Purpose Area 3: Housing Training and Technical Assistance
- Anticipated Total Amount to be Awarded Under Solicitation: $17,000,000
- Dollar Amount for Award: $2,000,000
- Period of Performance: 36 months
Eligible Applicants
City or township governments, County governments, For profit organizations other than small businesses, 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, Private institutions of higher education, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Small businesses, State governments.
Eligible Applicants Categories 1 & 2
- State governments
- City or township governments
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- County governments
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Eligible Applicants Category 3 Only
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
An applicant entity may submit more than one application, if each application proposes a different project in response to the solicitation. Also, an entity may be proposed as a subrecipient (subgrantee) in more than one application.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
