OVW Fiscal Year 2021 Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Solicitation | O OVW 2021 42001

Opportunity Information: Apply for O OVW 2021 42001

The OVW Fiscal Year 2021 Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking is a discretionary federal grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). Authorized under 34 U.S.C. 12351 and listed under CFDA 16.736, the program is designed to help communities create or expand transitional housing options paired with supportive services for people whose housing instability is directly connected to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The central purpose is to bridge the gap between short-term crisis response and long-term housing stability by funding housing and wraparound supports for a defined transitional period.

At its core, the program supports transitional housing placements lasting between 6 and 24 months. The target population is victims who are homeless or otherwise in need of transitional housing because of violence and who cannot reasonably rely on emergency shelter or other crisis intervention services because those resources are unavailable, insufficient, or not appropriate for their situation. In practice, this means the program is intended to serve people who may have exhausted emergency shelter options, cannot safely stay in shelter settings, or need longer-term stability and services in order to rebuild their lives.

The solicitation uses a broad, legally grounded definition of homelessness, consistent with federal statutory language referenced in 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(12) and 12473(6). Homelessness includes lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, as well as situations where a person is temporarily sharing housing with others due to loss of housing or financial hardship. It also includes staying in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds because no adequate alternative housing exists, and living in emergency or transitional shelters. The definition further extends to individuals abandoned in hospitals or awaiting foster care placement, and people whose primary nighttime residence is a public or private place not meant for regular sleeping. The solicitation also references migratory children who meet homelessness criteria because of unstable living circumstances. This broad framing is meant to capture the many ways violence can push victims into housing precarity, even when they are not literally sleeping outdoors.

Funding is structured as a grant (not a loan or contract), with an award ceiling of $500,000 per award and an anticipated total of about 75 awards. The opportunity falls within the Law, Justice, and Legal Services funding activity category, reflecting OVW's mission to address violence through survivor-centered services and coordinated community responses. The opportunity was created on January 8, 2021, with an original closing date of March 2, 2021, indicating a defined application window for prospective applicants.

Eligibility is intentionally broad to reflect the variety of entities that operate victim services and housing programs. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations (including those that are not themselves federally recognized tribal governments); and nonprofit organizations, including both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education). The solicitation also notes that additional eligibility clarifications may apply under an "Additional Information on Eligibility" section, which typically addresses details such as partnerships, documentation, or specialized applicant categories.

Beyond housing itself, the program emphasizes supportive services as a required companion to transitional housing. While the solicitation text provided does not list each service type, OVW transitional housing grants generally focus on helping survivors stabilize and regain independence through assistance that may include safety planning, case management, counseling and trauma-informed support, help navigating benefits, employment and education support, transportation, childcare coordination, and connections to legal and community resources. The guiding idea is that safe housing alone is often not enough; survivors may need sustained, individualized support to address trauma, rebuild finances, resolve legal issues, and reduce the likelihood of being forced back into unsafe situations.

Finally, OVW ties the program to performance measurement and accountability. The solicitation points applicants to OVW program information, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Measuring Effectiveness Initiative, and examples of successful projects described in OVW's biennial report to Congress on VAWA grant program effectiveness (referencing the 2018 report). This signals that funded projects are expected to track outcomes and report performance data aligned with OVW measures, demonstrating how the funded housing and services contribute to survivor safety, housing stability, and broader program goals.

• The Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OVW Fiscal Year 2021 Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Solicitation" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.736.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jan 08, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 02, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 75 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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