The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is pleased to announce the availability of grant funds to assist localities with providing temporary assistance to help alleviate potential intimidation of witnesses.
Donor Name: Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services
State: Virginia
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/28/2024
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
The purpose of the Witness Protection Grant Program (WPGP) is to support witnesses and their families who may be in danger because of their cooperation with the investigation and prosecution of serious crimes. Grant awards shall be used to provide time-limited assistance of up to 90 days to witnesses to defray the costs associated with their ability to safely serve as a witness including, but not limited to, lodging, medical, transportation, food, and relocation expenses.
Funding Information
The maximum amount that may be requested is $25,000 per locality.
Grant Period
Grants will initially be awarded a fifteen-month period beginning April 15, 2024, to June 30, 2025. (Applications received after the original deadline of March 28, 2024, may have a shorter grant period.)
Eligibility Criteria
Participation in the Witness Protection Grant Program is open to all local law enforcement agencies, Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ offices, and other local government agencies as appropriate.
- Law enforcement and other local government agencies must be willing to acknowledge collaboration with the Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Office for services.
- One application can be submitted on behalf of the locality, allowing local agencies to submit a request under the same grant number. However, the grant must be assigned to a specific agency for grant management purposes.
Restrictions
The WPGP allows for participation in criminal justice and other public proceedings arising from violent crime. Allowable costs may include the following: (list may not be all-inclusive)
- Safety Planning (if not already supported by another grant or funding source)
- Interpreting for deaf or hard of hearing, or with limited English proficiency
- Security/Surveillance
- Emergency food; (not to exceed state per diem rates)
- Emergency clothing
- Body-worn cameras, body armor, “burner” cell phones specifically used for witnesses
- Window and/or lock replacement or repair, and other repairs necessary to ensure a witness’s safety
- Emergency legal assistance, such as for filing for restraining or protective orders, and obtaining emergency custody orders and visitation rights
- Out-patient therapy/counseling
- Witness Transportation (in-state, local bus/mass-transit fare, truck rental to transport witness belongings)
- Transportation of witness to receive services and to participate in criminal justice proceedings
- Temporary storage rental for personal possessions
- Childcare and respite care to enable a witness who is a caregiver to attend activities related to criminal justice proceedings
- Shelter and/or rental or modification of protected housing facilities/temporary relocation expenses.
For more information, visit DCJS.
