Frequently Asked Questions

If an applicant experiences unforeseen Grants.gov or JustGrants technical issues beyond its control that prevent it from submitting its application by the deadline, the applicant must email the Office of Justice Programs Response Center at OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov within 24 hours after the application deadline to request approval to submit its application after the deadline.

Applicants must submit their application electronically. OVC will not accept paper submissions.

If you have not yet contacted law enforcement officials to report your missing child, please do so immediately. Ask them about the issuing an AMBER Alert.

Through the AMBER Alert system, law enforcement agencies and broadcasters activate an urgent bulletin in the most serious child abduction cases. Request that law enforcement put out a Be On the Look Out (BOLO) bulletin. Ask them about involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the search for your child.

You may also contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 800-843-5678 and view their Missing-Child, Emergency-Response, Quick-Reference Guide for Families.

Finally, visit the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) website. NamUs is a clearinghouse for missing persons and unidentified decedent records. This free online system can be searched by law enforcement officials, other allied professionals, and the general public to solve these cases.

Intimate partner homicide statistics are available in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s annual Uniform Crime Reporting system.

For additional information, visit our Intimate Partner Violence and Homicide Survivors/Co-Survivors Topic pages.

OVC uses AEAP to help jurisdictions respond to victims’ immediate and ongoing needs in the aftermath of mass violence or domestic terrorism. This funding can compensate and assist victims of terrorism and mass violence that occur within the United States.

Further details can be found in the AEAP Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Eligible applicants for the Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program (AEAP) include—

• state victim assistance and compensation programs;
• public agencies, including federal, state, and local governments;
• federally recognized Indian Tribal governments, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior and published in the Federal Register;
• U.S. Attorney’s Offices;
• public institutions of higher education; and
• nongovernmental and victim service organizations.

NOTE: Funding is not available for foreign governments or individual crime victims.

No, individuals cannot apply for AEAP funding. Contact the victim compensation program in the state where the incident occurred to learn if you are eligible to apply for victim compensation.

OVC provides five types of assistance to respond to incidents of terrorism and mass violence under the AEAP:

• Crisis response grants (emergency, short-term, and up to 9 months) help victims build adaptive capacities, decrease stressors, and reduce symptoms of trauma immediately following an incident;
• Consequence management grants (ongoing, long-term, and up to 18 months) help victims recover and regain their ability to function;
• Criminal justice support grants (ongoing, long-term, and up to 36 months) facilitate victim participation in investigations or prosecutions directly related to the incident;
• Crime victim compensation grants (available during or after the crisis phase) reimburse victims for out-of-pocket expenses related to their victimization through state crime victim compensation programs; and
• Training and technical assistance (available during or after the crisis phase) to help federal, state, Tribal, and local authorities identify victim needs, coordinate victim services, develop response strategies, and address related issues. OVC may also provide consultants to draft the AEAP application and perform related tasks.

Please note that, on a case-by-case basis, the OVC Director may approve a limited amount of funding for administrative purposes deemed essential to the delivery of services and assistance to victims.

If you are interested in applying for AEAP funding, contact OVC at 202-307-5983.

AEAP applications are accepted only from the jurisdiction in which the crime occurred unless a compelling justification can be provided to the OVC Director that supports requests from other jurisdictions or a statute establishes a special authorization and appropriation for allocations to be made to other jurisdictions.

AEAP grants are available by OVC invitation only. Shortly after an event, OVC will contact officials in the state or jurisdiction where the incident occurred to discuss the scope of victims’ needs and explain what resources may be available. OVC encourages potential applicants to coordinate victim-related activities with organizations such as—

• state emergency preparedness agencies;
• state mental health agencies;
• local chapters of the American Red Cross and United Way; and
• federal, state, local, or Tribal law enforcement and prosecutors’ offices.

In most instances, OVC will make only one award for each incident, with the grantee assuming overall responsibility for coordinating grant activities with any subgrantees.

You are encouraged to view the AEAP Notice of Funding Opportunity to learn more about eligibility requirements.