$3.9 Million in Supplemental Federal Funding Available to Support Family Violence Victims of Crime

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – September 1, 2021- Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced today that victim service agencies seeking to support victims of crime during the COVID-19 pandemic can apply for  2021 Family Violence Prevention and Services Act/American Rescue Plan Act (FVPSA ARPA) supplemental funding starting today.

Governor DeWine is a staunch advocate of stronger protections for domestic violence victims. In 2019, Governor DeWine updated the executive order for the Barbara Warner Workplace Violence Policy to strengthen protections for domestic violence victims by including intimate partner violence, or dating violence, in state agency directives and guidelines.

“Everyone has the right to live an oppression and violence-free life,” said Governor DeWine. “We are confident that these FVPSA ARPA grants will help provide victims with the protection and services they need to pursue safe and healthy lives while enabling communities to effectively combat violence and criminal activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Funding will support the establishment, maintenance, and expansion of programs and projects to:

  • prevent incidents of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence;
  • provide immediate shelter, supportive services, and access to community-based programs for victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, and their dependents; and
  • provide specialized services for children exposed to family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, underserved populations, and victims who are members of racial and ethnic minority populations.

Eligible applicants are community based, non-profit organizations who provide emergency shelter and/or supportive services for victims of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence, and their dependents.

A bidders training co-hosted by the Ohio Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) and the Ohio Domestic Violence Network will be presented on Sept. 9. The training will provide information helpful for both the application preparation and review process. Participants can visit https://bit.ly/3zIbUV7 to complete the registration.

The funding will be administered by OCJS, a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety. The deadline for submissions is Sept. 30 at 5 p.m. For more information please visit www.ocjs.ohio.gov.