Learn about laws and policies as well as additional informational resources to help State Administering Agencies manage their VOCA Victim Assistance awards.
The following laws and policies govern the administration of VOCA Assistance formula funding.
Created in 1983 to implement recommendations from the President’s Task Force on Victims of Crime, OVC was authorized in 1988 through an amendment to the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984 to administer the Crime Victims Fund, which provides funds to states for victim assistance and compensation programs that offer support and services to those affected by violent crimes. Guidance provided for the victim assistance and compensation grant programs is in accordance with VOCA.
VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021
This law, which went into effect on July 22, 2021, is a historic effort to stabilize the Crime Victims Fund. Among other provisions, this law—
- Requires that all the fines and penalties collected by the Federal Government under deferred and non-prosecution agreements be deposited into the Crime Victims Fund;
- Allows an exception to the federal requirement that an eligible crime victim compensation program promote victim cooperation with law enforcement;
- Allows or requires states to waive matching requirements for Crime Victims Fund grant funds under certain circumstances; and
- Provides the Attorney General with the authority to provide no-cost extensions to all VOCA award recipients.
VOCA Victim Assistance Program Final Rule (Programa de Asistencia a las Víctimas de la Ley de Víctimas del Crimen: Regla Final)
VOCA authorizes OVC to provide an annual formula grant from the Crime Victims Fund to each State and eligible territory for the purpose of providing assistance to victims of crime. These annual Victim Assistance Program formula grants are used by the States to provide financial support to eligible crime victim assistance programs. This Program Rule supersedes any VOCA Victim Assistance Formula Grant Program Guidelines previously issued by OVC.
The DOJ Grants Financial Guide (the Guide) is the primary reference manual to assist OVC award recipients in fulfilling their financial responsibility to safeguard grant funds and ensure funds are used for the purposes for which they were awarded. It compiles a variety of laws, rules and regulations that affect the financial and administrative management of your award. Recipients (and subrecipients) should refer to their award terms and conditions to determine the specific requirements that apply to their award.
This Guide should be the starting point for all recipients and subrecipients in ensuring the effective day-to-day management of awards.
Allowability of Idle Vacancies
This bulletin provides clarification on the issue of allowability and idle vacancies within victim assistance subgrants.
OVC September 2021 Updated Match Waiver Approval Process
This bulletin clarifies requirements for State Administering Agencies waiving the VOCA Assistance Program matching requirement, set out in 28 C.F.R. § 94.118, and supersedes prior OVC Match Waiver Process guidance issued in March 2020.
Ridesharing Information for Subrecipients of VOCA and VAWA Funding
This bulletin raises awareness regarding privacy and confidentiality protections for victims when using rideshare services.
VOCA Victim Assistance Funds May Support Community Violence Intervention Efforts (Los fondos de asistencia para victimas bajo VOCA pueden apoyar los esfuerzos de intervención contra la violencia en las comunidades)
This bulletin clarifies that VOCA Victim Assistance formula funding may be used to support community violence intervention efforts.
This bulletin outlines federal funding requirements for subawards with braided funding.
This document outlines best practices regarding use of gift cards by victim service providers.
Time and Effort Best Practices for VOCA-Funded Personnel
This document serves as a resource for VOCA recipients when documenting salaries, wages, and fringe benefits for grant funded personnel. Where grant recipients work on multiple grant programs or cost activities, documentation must support a reasonable allocation or distribution of costs among specific activities or cost objectives.
The allocation or distribution of costs should be an after-the-fact accounting not based on estimates. Payroll records must reflect actual time spent on the activity or activities. Additionally, records must be certified by the employee and approved by a supervisor with firsthand knowledge of the work performed.
This document outlines allowable expenses and obligations following a natural disaster.