STOP (Services * Training * Officers * Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program (STOP VAWA)
Description
The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy administers the STOP VAWA Program under the authority of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, to encourage the development and strengthening of effective, victim-centered law enforcement, prosecution, and court strategies to combat violent crimes against women in the State of Maryland. The STOP VAWA Program, the largest portion of the Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program funding, is distributed among victim-centered law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and nonprofit victim service providers. It also supports criminal justice entities in holding offenders accountable.
History
In 2006, the Violence Against Women Act was reauthorized and amended to statutorily require the STOP VAWA Program to allocate its funds in the following rations: 25% to law enforcement, 25% to prosecution, 30% to nonprofit, non-governmental victim services, and 5% to court entities; with the remainder of up to 15% to be allocated at the State’s discretion.
Furthermore, changes to the Violence Against Women Act specifically require the State to recognize and meaningfully respond to the needs of underserved populations and ensure that monies are set aside and distributed equitably to fund linguistically and culturally specific services for underserved populations. Hence, per the 2005 Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization, 10% of the victim service allocation must be distributed to linguistically and culturally specific community-based organizations.
In 2013, the Violence Against Women Act reauthorized and amended the STOP VAWA Program to require that 20% of total funds allocated across two or more allocations (excluding discretionary) must meaningfully address sexual assault, including stranger rape, acquaintance rape, alcohol or drug-facilitated rape, and rape within context of an intimate partner relationship.
Resources
Categories Funded
- Contractual Services
- Equipment
- Operating Expenses
- Personnel
- Travel
- Other
Eligible Applicants
- Local Government Agencies
- Local Law Enforcement
- Nonprofit Organizations
- State and Local Courts
- State Domestic Violence Coalition
- State Government Ggencies
- State Law Enforcement
- State Sexual Assault Coalition
Documents
Notices of Funding Availability (NOFA)
Additional Documents
- VAWA FFY26 NOFA Technical Assistance Session - Slides/Presentation - 07/31/26 - PDF - 1.07 MB
- S_T_O_P VAWA Strategic Implementation Plan - 2022-2025 - PDF - 79.29 KB
Dates
Projected NOFA Release Month
August
Projected Application Month
September