Family Violence Justice Fund Grant Program
This program provides funding to Colorado-based organizations that offer civil legal assistance to low-income victims of family violence, helping them navigate legal issues related to protection orders, custody, and support.
Description
The Family Violence Justice Fund (FVJF) Grant Program is administered by the Colorado Judicial Branch under the Office of the State Court Administrator. Established in 1999, the Fund aims to expand the availability of comprehensive civil legal assistance to victims of family violence across Colorado. It is structured to address need-based disparities by allocating annual grant funding according to a formula that considers the number of low-income individuals within each county or city and county. If multiple qualifying organizations exist in one geographic area, funding is proportionally distributed based on the number of clients served by each in the previous year.
The grants issued through this program are strictly cost-reimbursement based and must be used in accordance with Colorado Revised Statutes Section 14-4-107(2), C.R.S. Recipients are subject to mandatory periodic reporting to ensure compliance and accountability. Only organizations that meet specific statutory qualifications may apply. These qualifications require that the organization be Colorado-based, have a demonstrated record of providing civil legal services to low-income populations (preferably at no cost), maintain tax-exempt status under IRS Section 501(c)(3), and derive more than 33 percent of its total funding from sources other than this grant.
Eligible services supported by this grant are limited to those that benefit indigent clients who are victims of family violence. The term "indigent" refers to individuals whose income does not exceed 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, adjusted for family size. Covered legal proceedings include protection orders, dissolution or legal separation of marriage or civil unions, paternity and custody actions, child support enforcement, and other legal matters where family violence is a factor. Services supported by the grant may include direct representation, limited legal assistance, and legal education clinics.
The total funding available for fiscal year 2025-2026 is approximately $2.1 million. Specific funding amounts by county are available through documentation in the Grant Resources section of the program’s website. The application window for the FY 2025-2026 grant cycle opens on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. and closes on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Applications must be submitted via the AmpliFund Grant Management system, and applicants are encouraged to use training materials available on the platform for guidance.
To support prospective applicants, an optional technical assistance session will be hosted on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. through WebEx. This session will provide general guidance and answer technical questions related to the application process. Interested applicants can join using the provided link.
For further inquiries regarding the Family Violence Justice Fund Grant Program, applicants may contact the Grants Specialist at the Office of the State Court Administrator. Communication can be made via email at FamilyViolenceJusticeFund@judicial.state.co.us or by phone at 720-625-5841. The office is located at 1300 Broadway, Suite 1200, Denver, Colorado 80203.