2025 Combatting Hate Crimes Grant Program – Virginia

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is pleased to announce the availability of grant funds to assist organizations in combatting hate crimes.

Donor Name: Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services

State: Virginia

County: All Counties

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 09/01/2024

Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000

Grant Duration: 1 Year

Details:

DCJS is soliciting applications to make competitive grants to local governments which have established partnerships with eligible non-profit, 501(c)3 institutions, and organizations that have been targets, or are at risk of being targets, of hate crimes.

The goal of this program is to minimize bias-motivated incidents by providing funding that supports institutions and/or nonprofit organizations within a locality that may be at risk for targeted, bias-motivated violence based on race, religious conviction, color, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or national origin.

Funding Information

• The amount of funding available for the Combatting Hate Crimes Grant Program is determined by the state budget bill. On May 13, 2024, Governor Youngkin signed the 2025–2026 biennium budget bill that included $3,500,000 for the FY2025 fiscal year to fund the Combatting Hate Crimes Grant Program.
• The maximum amount that may be requested is $150,000 per locality. Localities are expected to collaborate with eligible non-profit, 501(c)3 institutions, and other similarly situated organizations within their jurisdiction that have been targets, or are at risk of being targets, of hate crimes. Organizations that have conducted a threat assessment with their local crime prevention officer within their locality to identify and address their most critical vulnerabilities are most likely to be funded.

Grant Period

Applicants for this competitive solicitation may be awarded grants for a twelve (12) month period, from January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025.

Uses of funds 

The funds can be used for projects, including but not limited to:

• Equipment:
  • Target hardening activities.
  • Critical technology and infrastructure.
  • Security and monitoring equipment.
• Contractual security services:
  • On-site security services.
  • Cybersecurity activities.
  • Inspection and screening systems.
• Training:
  • Security-related training for employed and volunteer security staff.
  • Training related to response to serious incidents (not already available)
  • Terrorism awareness training for employees.
• Personnel:
  • Part-time staff to perform security assessment for non-profit organizations and institutions to determine risk.

Eligibility Criteria 

This grant announcement is open to local governments within the Commonwealth that have established partnerships with non-profit organizations or institutions within their jurisdiction. All applications must be submitted by the local government. One application per locality may be submitted but the application may include multiple partnerships with separate nonprofits, organizations, or institutions.

Restrictions

• Grant funds cannot be used to supplant state or local funds that would otherwise be available for the same purposes.
• Reimbursement will be based on paid invoices for approved expenditures or through requested advance drawdowns with expected expenditures.
• Changes to the grant budget after award must be approved by DCJS prior to expending funds based on the changes.
• Transactions occurring outside of the grant period will not be eligible for reimbursement.

For more information, visit VDCJS.