FFY26 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Grant Program - Questions & Answers

Questions and Answers (last updated 10.16.26)

Q. Our non-profit organization brings educational programs about domestic violence prevention to school aged children in fourth grade to high school. We also offer adult workshops and professional development opportunities. Although I saw that professional development is listed as a category, do we need an existing partnership to apply? 

A. You do not need an existing professional development partner to apply. We encourage you to provide more details about partnership selection in your application. 

Q. Last year the confidentiality form had a 3rd page, which included a signature section. This is what I downloaded from the VAWA STOP Grant website: VAWA 2013 Confidentiality and Privacy Provisions. Please advise. 

A. This is no longer a document that needs to be signed separately. Instead, you agree to the "Confidentiality and Privacy Provisions" as part of the application by simply checking the box to confirm that you agree.

Q. Is there priority criteria in the selection process? Are there specific guidelines and services that the Grant emphasizes? Also, are there financial limits per municipality for individual grant submissions?

A. There is no priority ranking criteria. Applications will be scored as detailed on pages 13 and 14 of the Availability of Grant Funds (AGF).  Please refer to the AGF STOP VAWA Purpose Areas (pages 3 and 4) for more details on grant priorities/purpose areas. The funding request limit is $150,000.00.

Q. Does accepting the funds tie us to ICE access to our office? 

A. There is no connection between this grant and ICE access to your office. 

Q. For state agencies, is this similar to other OGR grants where funds are available for state agencies in Mosaic or do we seek reimbursement separately? 

A. Yes, similar to other OGR awards, funds will be made available through Mosaic for state agencies.

Q. For the 25% match are we able to use payroll/state appropriated funds?

A. Yes, State funds may be used for match however federal funds may not be used for match. In addition, match reported on this grant must not be used as match on another grant.

Q. Is this considered a State Grant or a Federal Grant? 

A. STOP VAWA Grant Program is a federal grant program authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and administered primarily by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). The Office of Grants and Research is the State Administering Agency for these funds. 

Q. Many women experiencing homelessness who are victims of sexual violence or domestic violence do not trust the legal system. Can funding be used to support them - or must services be connected to law enforcement/legal system?

A. VAWA funding is not limited to law enforcement agencies and courts. A significant portion of VAWA funds are dedicated to victim services and supporting nonprofit organizations that provide direct services to survivors in need.

Q. What would be the most appropriate budget category for staff cell phone service? Would that be considered a "supply" or "equipment/technology"? 

A. Please use the “Other” category for staff cell phone services.

Q. Can this grant be used for emergency victim assistance like hotel, food, cell phone, Uber?

A. Yes. These funds may be used to provide emergency assistance to victims for needs such as hotel accommodations, cell phones, transportation (including Uber), and other immediate necessities. Please note this is a competitive opportunity, we encourage applicants to primarily provide direct services to survivors while using funds for emergency assistance as needed. 

Applications will be reviewed and scored based on reasonable expenses. 

There are specific policies in place regarding food assistance. Gift cards for food may only be used for survivor nourishment needs, only gift card purchases are allowed. Direct purchase of meals from fast-food restaurants, restaurants, or similar establishments are not allowable. Gift card policies and procedures must be provided to OGR with quarterly reporting. 

Q. Does OGR have an expected breakdown of returning recipients vs new? And can you share how many grant recipients overall you are expecting for STOP VAWA?

A. This is a competitive solicitation; all applications will be scored based on the application criteria provided in the AGF. Funding amounts will be determined based on the number of applications received, amounts requested and reviewer’s scores. 

Q. How does OGR want existing grantees to address prior performance/sustainability and whether there are any considerations around funding an established position versus a new initiative?

A. Please refer to the AGF, Program Description section: 

“Current STOP VAWA awardees need to also include proof of success data for funded STOP VAWA programs.”

Funding a new position vs. an established position will be reviewed by reviewers in context with the application, taking into consideration the agency’s experience, capacity and qualifications.

Q. We don't have a fringe rate -- we use actual expenses.

A. If your department does not have an established fringe rate, please provide an explanation of how you came up with the fringe rate being used on the budget using the Description column. If awarded, your organization can request reimbursement based on actual expenses. Please note that salaries applied to the fringe rate on the budget must be equal to the salaries being charged to the grant. For example, if you are budgeting $50,000 in Personnel expenses, you can’t apply $70,000 towards a fringe rate. Instead, these amounts should be consistent, and the amount applied to the fringe rate on the budget should equal $50,000.

Q. For state agencies, is this similar to other OGR grants where funds are available for state agencies in Mosaic or do we seek reimbursement separately? 

A. Yes, this process is like other OGR state agency awards. The funds will be made available through Mosaic. If you are a state agency (not Higher Education), funds will be made available upfront via ISA. You will not need to request reimbursement quarterly. Instead, your agency will need to report quarterly based on the Acceptance Date of Cash Expenses.

Q. If you have an adjusted IDC rate approved by leadership which departs from the Federal Negotiated Rate, do we still need to include the Federal Negotiated Rate in some type of document?

A. Yes, an applicant may elect to use a rate lower than their federally negotiated indirect rate, but the applicant must make sure to consistently apply the same “base expenses” as reflected on their federally negotiated indirect rate agreement. 

If an applicant does not currently have an approved rate, they can choose to apply a de minimis rate of up to 15% but must make sure to consistently apply modified total direct costs (MTDC) as the “base”.

Q. If an agency applies for funding for a certain project year 1, would the possible funding for years 2, 3, 4 need to be for that same project? Or could it be used to build upon a project or a new project? 

A. VAWA-funded projects are expected to remain consistent throughout the grant cycle. Any proposed changes to the scope or program activities will need to be submitted to OGR for prior approval.

Q. Does the Travel cost category only apply to staff travel, or is this where we would include client travel assistance such as funds for Charlie Cards, Uber, train tickets etc.?

A. The Travel line item should be used exclusively for travel expenses incurred by the primary applicant employees as part of their work-related responsibilities.

Transportation assistance (Public transportation passes, Uber or other approved rideshare services) provided directly to victims should be included in the “Other” budget category. 

Q. Can you provide contact info relative to help with financial form?

A. Unfortunately, we cannot provide individual guidance on completing the application budget.  Please submit any specific questions to jenny.barron@mass.gov and a response will be posted on our webpage. 

Q. Is the $150,000 ceiling with or without match?

A. The $150,000 ceiling is without match. This is the maximum amount you can receive as an award from OGR. See the explanation below. 

Total Project Costs = Federal Request + Cost Sharing (Match)

If the applicant is requesting $150,000 in federal funding, and the applicant is required to report match, their budget will reflect this:

Federal Request (Cash Expenditures) - $150,000
Cost Sharing (Match) - $50,000
Total Project Costs - $200,000

If the applicant is not required to report match, their budget will reflect this:

Federal Request (Cash Expenditures) - $150,000
Cost Sharing (Match) - $0
Total Project Costs - $150,000

Q. Are national non-profits headquartered outside of MA eligible to apply?

A. No. Agencies must be Massachusetts based.

Q. Is there a funding cap for food for survivors during the provision of services?

A. Although there is no funding cap for providing emergency services to survivors such as food, we encourage applicants to primarily provide direct services to survivors while using funds for emergency assistance as needed. 

Applications will be reviewed and scored based on reasonable expenses.

Q. Is the deadline Wednesday Oct. 21st or Friday Oct 23?

A. The deadline is Friday October 23, 2026 at 4:00pm.

Q. Can you please share the slides?

Please visit the VAWA webpage to view the slide deck for the Application Assistance Webinar. 

Q. Will these slides be sent to us?

A. They will not be sent via email as they are posted on our website. 

Q. We are a State Funded Rape Crisis Center within [a state university]. We receive ISA Funds and are an institution of higher ed. I'm wondering which budget I should be filling out.

A. As a State University, please use the non-state budget form.

Q. Historically these funds could only be applied for if we as an office agreed not to pursue cases if a victim did not choose to go forward. While that may be the case sometime, there are times when we will pursue a case, regardless of the victim’s position. Could you please let me know if such a stipulation is still in place?

A. There is no stipulation in the current grant program requiring applicants or subrecipients to agree not to pursue a case if a victim chooses not to participate or move forward with prosecution. Decisions regarding whether to proceed with a case remain the responsibility of the prosecuting office and should be made in accordance with applicable laws, office policies, and the specific facts and circumstances of each case.

The purpose of this funding is to support eligible victim service and criminal justice activities consistent with the grant requirements. Acceptance of grant funding does not require an applicant to adopt a particular prosecution policy regarding victim participation.

Q. We are new to applying for this grant and were hoping you could provide a link to prior grant awards and the programs they implemented or supported. We are looking for example programs which we could model ours after. It would be a great resource for us since we are looking to start being involved in this grant funding. Any help would be appreciated! 

A. You may find a list of past STOP VAWA award recipients and projects funded, within the posted FY22-25 STOP VAWA Implementation Plan-Appendix D, posted on our website under "Additional Resources." The award list reflects FY21 funding, but this will still provide helpful insight and ideas as you develop your proposal. The updated FY26-29 Implementation Plan is under federal review at this time.

Q. Is there a recording available of the Application Assistance Webinar from October 1st? 

A. The webinar was not recorded. Please visit the VAWA webpage to view the slide deck for the Application Assistance Webinar. 

Q. If a Victim Service Non-Profit is applying as the primary applicant working with Police Departments to provide Civilian Police Advocacy services, does the non-profit have a burden to submit MOAs with each municipal police department they propose to work with.

A. Yes, MOA/MOU’s are required from each municipal Police Department that will receive a subaward from a non-profit.

Q. Can you tell me what the “Object Class” on the Budget worksheet is? I have reviewed the VAWA AGF and have not noticed it mentioned? 

A. The “Object Class” is for use only by state agencies, excluding state colleges or universities. All other applicants, including municipal police departments and state colleges or universities, should use the non-state agency budget materials.

Q. If an applicant requires match, do the numbers on the application/budget narrative need to reflect total project costs (federal allocation plus match) or just the federal allocation.

A. The budget breakdown in the online application should only include the federal funding request, or the funds requested to execute the proposed programs. If you are applying as an agency that requires match, you will only be asked to provide the total match amount in the online application.

A detailed line item match breakdown can be entered in the Excel Budget form, uploaded to the online application.

Q. Will OGR be uploading a Fringe Rate Agreement template to the grant website, or do applicants draft their own?

A. Applicants are required to draft their own Fringe Rate Agreement onto their organization’s letter head. 

Q. Is there a character max in the budget narrative?

A. Applicants are asked to be clear and concise in their narrative responses in each budget category. Responses should be limited to no more than one to two paragraphs for each budget category. 

Q. We know that each organization can apply for only one grant. Could an organization also be included in another org’s grant as a subcontractor? 

A. Yes, an organization may submit an application as a primary applicant while also participating as a subrecipient under a different applicant's proposal. However, we encourage applicants to carefully consider whether submitting multiple funding requests is necessary.

As outlined in the solicitation, OGR expects that funding requests will significantly exceed the amount of funding available. Applicants should request only the funding that is critical to the success of their proposed program. To maximize the number of successful programs funded, OGR anticipates awarding partial funding to the majority of successful applicants, and smaller, well-justified requests are often more likely to be funded in full. Any costs determined to be excessive or not essential to the success of the program will not be funded.

If your organization chooses to apply as both a primary applicant and a subrecipient, each request should represent a distinct and necessary need. The same activities, personnel, or costs may not be requested or funded under more than one application.

Q. Please identify the percentage of funding that is allocated to preventing crime in each of the following four areas: Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Stalking.  As a prosecutor’s office, our project will not prevent crime, but will prosecute criminal cases. Should we answer 0 for each category, or are you looking for a breakdown of the types of cases we will prosecute using grant funds? 

A. Yes, prosecution applicants can include the breakdown of the types of cases that will be prosecuted using the award funds.  

Q. Our organization provides support services to justice-involved or formerly justice-involved survivors. Could you help us understand which Purpose Area we should choose? Is #4 specifically funding for legal support for victims? Or since we are a victim service provider should we choose #9?

A. If you are a victim service provider, OGR suggests you choose the Purpose Areas reflecting the victim services you provide. 

Q. If an applicant is planning a training or a conference, would there be an exception to the food/beverage rule if it complies with the DOJ guidelines? 

A. Applicants should budget with the understanding that food and beverage costs to provide working meals or refreshments at a conference, training, retreat, seminar, or symposium are not allowable under this AGF, regardless of whether they may be permissible under DOJ guidance

Q. Would we be safe in presenting a conference budget if it complies with DOJ guidelines, or is there another guideline we should use? If there is a different guideline we should use for this planning, can you please provide a link to it? 

A. Yes, applicants may use the OVW DOJ Conference Costs Guidelines to plan conference costs. All detailed conference costs should be included in the “Other” budget category in the Budget Excel Workbook-Attachment A.

Q. Section IV states that STOP funds "are intended to support programs that serve victims of all ages who have experienced sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking." Purpose Area #7 supports programs addressing the needs of older and disabled women who are victims of these crimes. Is a program that serves only older adult victims (age 60+) eligible to apply under Purpose Area #7, or must each funded program serve victims of all ages?

A. Yes, a program that serves only older women may select Purpose Area #7. 

Q. Would an eligible Massachusetts law enforcement agency or prosecutor's office be permitted to use grant funding for outsourced advanced forensic DNA testing, including forensic genetic genealogy, to assist in investigating unresolved sexual assault cases? We understand that contracts are an allowable budget category, but wanted to confirm whether these specific forensic services would qualify under the program.

A. Programs funding outsourced, advanced forensic DNA testing have not been selected as one of the 12 Purpose Area for the Massachusetts 2026 VAWA STOP Grant Program, as Massachusetts has prioritized direct services and training rather than forensic testing programs. 

Q. We are exploring the installation of a comprehensive security system that would include security cameras, electronic door access controls, and alarm systems to better monitor access to the building, strengthen safety measures, and respond to potential security concerns.  I noticed that building modifications are listed as unallowable expenses, so I wanted to ask whether the purchase and installation of these security components could qualify under the Equipment & Technology category, particularly when the purpose is directly connected to survivor safety, staff protection, and the delivery of domestic and sexual violence services. 

A. No, this is not an allowable cost under the STOP VAWA Grant. 

Nonprofits that are at high risk of a hate crime or terror attack due to their mission may be eligible to apply for funding for projects of this nature under one of the state or federally funded nonprofit security grant programs managed by OGR. Availability of those highly competitive funding opportunities will be announced through OGR’s email notification list.

Q. Could you clarify whether prevention-focused programming serving girls and young women would be eligible for consideration under this funding opportunity, or whether funding is limited to organizations providing direct services to adult survivors of violence?  

A. Prevention-focused programming/services would be included under Purpose Area #3, “services.”

“Developing and implementing more effective police, court, and prosecution policies, protocols, orders, and services specifically devoted to preventing, identifying, and responding to violent crimes against women, including the crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, as well as the appropriate treatment of victims.”

Q. Purpose Area #7 refers to "older and disabled women who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking," and also to "victim services for older and disabled individuals." May an applicant under Purpose Area #7 propose a project that serves both older women and older men who are victims of these crimes? If so, should the application describe the project's primary focus as older women?

A. Yes, applicants that propose programs that serve only older women and men may chose Purpose Area #7. Please include the need, focus and description of the proposed program in the application.

Q. The AGF states funds are “intended to support programs that serve victims of all ages who have experienced sexual assault, domestic violence, dating  violence, or stalking.” Would programs that serve individuals within a certain age range, and focused on a specific victimization type, be eligible to apply? For example, a program targeted to minor victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking?

A. Yes, this would be allowable. 

Q. The AGF asks applicants to “identify the percentage of funding that is allocated to prevent crime in the areas of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.” Does “prevent” refer to primary prevention activities, or may programs identify the percentage of secondary and tertiary prevention and intervention activities focused on the listed crimes? 

A. Programs may reflect the primary prevention activities, secondary and tertiary prevention and intervention activities focused on the listed crimes.

Q. Do applicants need to identify the percentage for each type of crime - percentage of domestic violence, percentage of sexual assault, etc. - or the combined percentage of those 4 types of crime?  

A. Applicants should provide the percentage for each individual type of crime. 

Q. What type of data reporting is required by grantees if selected to receive an award?

A. Grantees are required to submit both financial and programmatic reports reflecting grant activities during each quarter of 2027. In addition, grantees must submit a federal annual report on grant activities in late March. 

Grantees will be asked to report on services provided to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking, including the number of individuals served, individuals who sought services but could not be served, program activities and outcomes, trainings, advocacy, law enforcement or prosecution activities, and progress toward the grant's objectives. Staffing and implementation, grant-funded personnel, activities completed, and other performance measures requested by OGR. 

Reporting forms will be provided to grantees shortly following the contract start date, so grantees will know the information that will be requested.

Q. Under the question about goals, you have a matrix for Objectives, Activities, a start date, and an end date.  We offer a large number of programs on a reoccurring basis (often weekly) - it would not be feasible to list every program’s start and end date. How should we then answer this question regarding each program’s start and end date?

A. Applicants may use the entire grant period, January 2027 through December 2027, to collect the overall program objectives and activities.  

Q. We would appreciate clarification regarding the eligibility criteria for the category of Culturally Specific Community-Based Organization Our organization's primary focus is serving justice-involved individuals and survivors of domestic violence, many of whom experience intersecting barriers related to housing instability, poverty, and systemic inequities. Based on the grant's definition of a culturally specific community-based organization (SLIDE  7), could you please clarify whether an organization with this mission, service population, and program structure may qualify under this category? Specifically, we would appreciate guidance on how the requirement that an organization be primarily directed toward racial and ethnic minority groups and provide services tailored to the unique needs of those populations is interpreted.

A. Please note: an organization does NOT need to be a Culturally Specific Community-Based Organization to be eligible for STOP VAWA funding. 

It is a federal requirement that at least 10% of the 30% OGR awards to victim services be distributed to culturally specific community-based organizations.  OGR asks applicants to identify as a culturally specific organization in the application to help us track and meet the federal requirement. However, OGR will make the final decision if the applicant is deemed a Culturally Specific Community-Based Organization.

Q. As a non-profit that is not a state entity, is there no match requirement for this application? 

From the AGF: Grants to Tribes and to victim service providers for victim services are not subject to this requirement. To qualify for this exclusion, victim service providers must submit their IRS Determination Letter with their application to verify their IRS 501(c)(3) status (unless they are Tribal governmental organizations or governmental rape crisis centers not in territories).

Q. Is there a work plan template in this application? I do not see any in the documents provided?

A type of workplan template is included in the Goals, Objectives, Activities, Timeline, and Performance Measures/Evaluation section which follows the Program Description section in the application. 

Q. Could you tell me where I can find the Executive Office of Public Safety & Security’s Civilian Police Advocate Guidelines?

A. The Executive Office of Public Safety & Security’s Civilian Police Advocate Guidelines may be found here: Executive Office of Public Safety & Security’s Civilian Police Advocate Guidelines.

Q. In terms of allowable costs, are Move-In costs like first, last and security allowed when trying to find survivors housing? 

A. These not allowable costs. Please see "Unallowable Activities" on page 11 of the AGF.  

Q. The Program Description requires applicants to identify the percentage of funding allocated to "preventing crime" in each of these four areas. For applicants proposing victim services rather than direct crime-prevention activities, should these percentages reflect the proportion of project funding dedicated to serving victims of each type of violence? Or should applicants report only funding specifically dedicated to preventing future incidents?

A. Applicants should report only the funding specifically dedicated to preventing these separate areas of crime. It is understood that organizations that serve victims may have a total 0% for this response.

Q. The budget Excel spreadsheet we are using is for non-state agencies, since our non-profit does not have to include match. However, the budget template adds match, and we can't change that in the summary. How should we deal with that problem? 

A. The non-state agency Budget Excel is for use by all non-state agencies, including non-profits that do not need to provide match and other types of applicants that do need to provide match. All applicants will see the amount of match needed based on their funding request. Non-profits (that provide a 501c3) will see the match calculated, but do not need to enter any line items in the Match Expenditures column on the Budget Detail tab.  The Total Match Costs cell on the Budget Summary tab will remain red for non-profit applicants.

Q If we are only requesting money for salary for a Victim Advocate, but we are using their fringe benefits as a match do we have to include the Fringe Rate Breakdown as a sperate attachment? 

A. Yes, please include a Fringe Rate Breakdown as an attachment if fringe costs are included in the budget for expenditures and/or match. 

Q. Our department currently has a victim liaison and is exploring the use of Blue Voice, an AI-based law enforcement support platform, to strengthen our response to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

Our proposed project would focus on improving officer access to department-approved policies and investigative procedures, developing and distributing standardized victim-response protocols, supporting specialized officer training, and improving consistency in the handling of these cases.

We are interested in determining whether the following activities would be allowable under the law enforcement funding category and the applicable STOP purpose areas:

• Purchase of a Blue Voice subscription for access to approved department policies, legal resources, and investigative procedures relevant to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

• Use of the policy management component to develop, distribute, and track acknowledgment of specialized victim-response procedures.

• Development of supplemental training materials and knowledge checks for officers responding to these incidents.

• Use of applicable report-review functionality to support supervisory review of compliance with established investigative procedures.

Would these expenses be eligible if they are incorporated into a defined project with measurable objectives directly related to improving law enforcement responses to covered crimes and supporting victims?

Additionally, are there any restrictions on AI-based decision-support technology, software subscriptions, or the use of grant funds for these purposes that we should consider when preparing our application?

A. Because there is no specific federal guidance addressing the use of AI-based law enforcement support platforms to strengthen responses to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking, proposed projects involving these technologies will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Applications will be reviewed and scored based on the information provided and their alignment with the program's goals, allowable activities, and applicable federal and state requirements.

Q. I am checking in to inquire about the match requirements for the VAWA STOP.  Under our current award, we applied under Purpose Area #10 as a nonprofit organization. We planned to do the same for the FFY 2026 request.  Previously, you told us that a match was not required.  Can you please confirm if a match is required? 

A. Nonprofit applicants are not required to provide a match. To qualify for this exclusion, victim service providers must submit their IRS Determination Letter with their application to verify their IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.

Q. If possible, could you please share the presentation slides, recording, and any additional resources that were mentioned?

A. All resources can be found on the VAWA program page.