Overview
The VAWA STOP grant program helps to provide victims with the protection and services they need to pursue safe and healthy lives, while improving communities’ capacity to provide justice for victims and hold offenders accountable. This is accomplished by forging state, local and tribal partnerships among police, prosecutors, judges, victim advocates, health care providers, faith leaders, organizations that serve culturally specific and underserved communities, and others.
The VAWA STOP grant is a vital resource that supports a variety of specialized and innovative projects throughout the Commonwealth.
Eligibility
The following entities with experience providing services and/or technical assistance to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking are eligible to apply:
- Massachusetts state agencies;
- local and tribal law enforcement;
- nonprofits;
- public and/or private non-governmental agencies;
- or federally recognized Indian tribes.
Faith-based and culturally specific community-based organizations are also eligible to apply.
Key Dates and Application Materials
Key Dates:
AGF Posted: Thursday, September 24, 2026
Application Assistance Webinar: October 1, 2026, 10 a.m.
Register for the webinar
Deadline for Questions: October 14, 2026, 4:00 p.m.
Application Due Date: October 23, 2026, by 4:00 p.m.
Award Notification (tentative): December 2026
Performance Period (tentative): January 1 through December 31, 2027
Application Materials:
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) AGF
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Online Application
Budget Worksheet for State Agencies (Attachment A) - only applicants who are state agencies should use this form
Budget Worksheet for Non-State Agencies (Attachment A) - all applicants except state agencies should use this form
Subrecipient Risk Assessment (Attachment B)
Certification of Consultation with Victim Service Provider Template (Attachment C) - for court and prosecution-based projects
Certification of Consultation/Memorandum of Agreement Template (Attachment D) - for law enforcement-based projects
Sample Legal Assistance for Victims Certification Letter (Attachment E)
Notice of Statutory Requirement to Comply with Confidentiality and Privacy Provisions (Attachment F)
Overtime Policy for VAWA Recipients
Additional Materials:
FFY26 VAWA Applicant Assistance Webinar Presentation
FFY26 VAWA Questions & Answers (coming soon)
Additional Resources
-
2025 Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Guidelines, Open PDF file, 2.41 MB (English, PDF 2.41 MB)
-
Archive - 2022 - 2025 VAWA Implementation Plan, Open PDF file, 1.93 MB (English, PDF 1.93 MB)
Violence Against Women Act Advisory Committee
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Advisory Committee is composed of a multi-disciplinary group of professionals from prosecution, law enforcement, public health, sexual assault and domestic violence service providers, judiciary and social service agencies. The Committee provides the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security with expertise, guidance and recommendations to assist in the development of a statewide implementation plan and identification of need in the areas of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.
Resources for Grant Recipients
Resources for Massachusetts recipients of VAWA funding - these documents are intended for current grant recipients. They should not be submitted with applications for funding.
Additional Information:
Notice for OVC VOCA Victim Assistance and OVW Grantees Regarding Unallowable Costs Under the Award (re: legal services to certain aliens)
Date: November 19, 2025
Subject: Notice for OVC VOCA Victim Assistance and OVW Grantees Regarding Unallowable Costs Under the Award (re: legal services to certain aliens)
By its express terms, the Legal Services for Aliens provision of the DOJ Grants Financial Guide (which generally disallows the costs of providing legal services to any removable alien (see 8 U.S.C. § 1229a(e)(2)) or to any alien otherwise unlawfully present in the United States from being charged against DOJ grant awards) does not apply where “such disallowance would contravene any express requirement of any law … applicable to the award.” Regulations currently in effect (which thus have the force of law) and applicable to VOCA Victim Assistance grants (28 C.F.R. Part 94, Subpart B) made by the Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and grants made by the Office on Violence Against Women (“OVW”) (28 C.F.R. Part 90) variously provide that victim eligibility for direct services under such grants is not dependent on the victim's immigration status. Accordingly, costs for such services under those grants are not disallowed by the Legal Services for Aliens provision of the DOJ Grants Financial Guide (ch. 3.13 "Unallowable Costs").