Sexual Assault Victim Assistance Fund

The priority area of funding is to establish and maintain rape crisis centers that are providing trauma informed sexual assault services and are meeting the components of a rape crisis center.

Administrative costs are an allowable expense but are limited to 10% of the total grant funded budget. Administrative costs include including time to complete SAVAF required time and attendance sheets and programmatic documentation, reports, and required statistics; and administrative time to collect and maintain satisfaction surveys and needs assessments used to improve services delivery within the SAVAF funded project.

For purposes of this solicitation, please be cognizant of the following definitions:

• “Rape crisis center" means an organization that provides a full continuum of services, including hotlines, victim advocacy, and support services from the onset of the need for services through the completion of healing, to victims of sexual assault. Core components of a rape crisis center include the following:


• 24-Hour Rape Crisis Hotline: A telephone service available on a 24-hour basis to connect victim/secondary victims of sexual violence to a trained advocate.


• 24 hour On-Call Advocate who will go on-site to the hospital for victims of sexual assault: An immediately available 24-hour personal response provided by a trained advocate with the goal of helping victims/secondary victims navigate the medical/healthcare system by ensuring that they receive appropriate and accurate information and resources to make decisions about their healthcare needs.


• Criminal Justice/Legal Advocacy for victims of sexual assault: Individuals acting on behalf of and in support of the victim/secondary victim navigating the legal system by ensuring that the victim’s questions are answered, interests are represented, and rights are upheld. This includes attending court with the victim for support if requested by the victim, attending meetings/appointments, etc.


• Information and Referrals for victims of sexual assault: Providing timely, relevant contact information to a victim/secondary victim for community resources that address the need(s) of the victims that your agency is not equipped to effectively address, which may include professional therapy, legal services, or services indirectly related to sexual violence.


• System Coordination, Collaboration, and Case Management for victims of sexual assault: Developing and maintaining professional partnerships with service providers, organizations, and groups in the community that serve or otherwise impact victims. Partnerships may be formal or informal and are necessary to ensure a victim’s access to a variety of both core and enhanced services available in the community.


• Community Awareness and Outreach for sexual assault: Providing accurate information about sexual violence and individual, organizational, and societal strategies that promote the elimination of sexual violence in the community; and ensuring the community is aware of your agency, its services, and how to access those services.


• Support Groups for victims of sexual assault: Victim and/or secondary victims meeting in a safe, supportive, non-judgmental environment on a regularly scheduled basis to share information, relate personal experiences, share coping strategies and techniques for problem solving, listen to and accept others’ experiences and feelings resulting from sexual violence victimization, and provide support through the healing process.


• Professional Counseling or Therapy for victims of sexual assault (recommended and encouraged but may be referred out): A professional relationship between a qualified, licensed professional and a client (individual, family, or group) that utilizes therapeutic modalities to aid in the healing process.


• Prevention Education (recommended and encouraged): Culturally appropriate, structured activities/strategies implemented in a variety of settings that promote primary prevention and address the root causes of sexual violence.


• Trauma Informed Sexual Assault Services: Victim centered care, acute medical care, or forensic medical services that address the physical, psychological, and emotional needs of sexual assault victims for the duration of their life span. Trauma informed sexual assault services address the physical, psychological, and emotional needs of sexual assault victims for the duration of their lifespan.


• Victim Advocacy: The practice of supporting and assisting a victim to define needs, explore options, and ensure rights are respected within any system with which the victim interacts.

The following budget items listed below are ineligible and will not be supported by this program’s funding:

• Direct financial assistance to a client such as cash or gift cards.


• Food and beverages except emergency food and beverage for victims.


• Lobbying.


• Fundraising (including financial campaigns, endowment drives, solicitation of gifts and bequests, and similar expenses incurred solely to raise capital or obtain contributions) and time spent procuring funding including completing federal and state funding applications.


• Purchase of real estate.


• Construction and physical modification to buildings, including minor renovations (such as painting or carpeting).


• Purchase of vehicles.


• Indirect cost rate and/or de minimis rate.