​The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Sexual Assault Prevention Program in Ohio is administered by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS). This program aims to enhance the capacity of local communities to develop and strengthen effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies to combat violent crimes against women, including sexual assault, and to develop and strengthen victim services in such cases. ​

Historically, the program has offered grant funds to support various initiatives. For example, the VW20 VAWA Sexual Assault Prevention Program provided competitive grant funds to support sexual assault prevention efforts. The solicitation for this program offered guidance in completing the online application for the competitive program period. ​

Similarly, the VW23 VAWA Sexual Assault Prevention Program announced the availability of grant funds for currently funded agencies. This solicitation provided guidance for the continuation program period, indicating a focus on sustaining ongoing efforts rather than initiating new projects. ​

The STOP Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Grant Program, administered by OCJS, focuses on enhancing the capacity of local communities to develop and strengthen effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies to combat violent crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victim services in such cases. Eligible applicants include units of local government, councils of governments, and statewide and local nonprofit or faith-based associations. ​

Funding allocations are mandated federally, with distributions as follows: Law Enforcement (25%), Prosecution (25%), Victim Services (30%, with a 10% culturally specific set-aside), Courts (5%), and Discretionary (15%). A cash or in-kind match of at least 25% is required for most subrecipients, though nonprofit victim service providers funded from the victim service allocation are exempt from this requirement. ​
dam.assets.ohio.gov

For the anticipated Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) VAWA Sexual Assault Prevention opportunity in Ohio, it is advisable to monitor the ODH and OCJS websites for upcoming solicitations and guidelines. Reviewing historical solicitations, such as those mentioned above, can provide valuable insights into application requirements, funding priorities, and eligibility criteria, aiding in the preparation of a comprehensive and competitive application.