Grants
Victim Assistance Section of the Iowa Attorney General's Office
How to File a Complaint with the Attorney General's Office Victim Assistance Section
The Victim Assistance Section of the Iowa Attorney General's Office receives federal funding from the United States Department of Justice and from the United States Department of Health and Human Services. As recipients of federal funding the AG's office and our subrecipients (the organizations who receive grants from the AG's Office) are required to abide by federal laws regarding discrimination, civil rights and service standards. The following provides information and links to file formal complaints to the Iowa Attorney General's Office.
Discrimination complaints: All clients, customers, program participants, employees, job applicants, or consumers of The Iowa Attorney General's Office, and those of their subrecipients have the right to participate in programs and activities operated by the Victim Assistance Section or its subrecipients regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability. In addition, subrecipients of Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) grants are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
Anyone who thinks they have been discriminated against by an employee of The Iowa Attorney General's Office or a subrecipient of The Iowa Attorney General's Office, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression when VAWA funds are involved, or thinks they have been retaliated against by an Iowa Attorney General employee or subrecipient, may file a written complaint alleging such discrimination by submitting an online form.
To file a discrimination complaint, complete this online discrimination form.
Complaints regarding services provided by subrecipients: All clients, employees, or consumers of an Iowa Attorney General's subrecipient may file a complaint regarding a potential violation of a victim service program’s service standards, contractual stipulation and/or certified assurances by submitting an online form.
To file a complaint against an organization funded by the Victim Assistance Section, complete this online service standards complaint form.
For more information on the Victim Assistance complaint process, please review chapter 24 of our online grant manual.
Grantee orientation meetings and PowerPoint slides
In September the Victim Assistance staff hosted regional meetings regarding the upcoming grant cycle. All grantees who were awarded funding beginning on October 1, 2023 were invited to attend one of these meetings. Here is the PowerPoint from the meetings.
Grant Opportunities
When there is a competitive grant cycle, the Victim Assistance Section of the Iowa Attorney Generals' Office will issue a request for proposals and post updates this webpage. When there is an active solicitation for grant submissions, the AG's office will seek grant proposals from victim service agencies, nonprofit agencies and governmental agencies for projects or programs designed to strengthen effective and holistic responses to victimization in Iowa.
Applicants New to Victim Assistance Funding:
More information about Iowa GVS is provided in the Iowa GVS Grantee Manual, which provides new and existing users information on navigating Iowa GVS.
Iowa Grants for Victim Services
The Victim Assistance Section of the Iowa Attorney's Office generally awards their victim services grant funds for three-year grant cycles. Organizations not already registered in our grant management system, Iowa Grants for Victim Services, must register prior to submitting a grant application.
Organizations must register in Iowa GVS by going to the New User? Register Here! link under the Login panel on the right side of the screen. The initial registration for your organization must be completed by your authorized official, and after that the Authorized Official will be able to add additional user for your organization in Iowa GVS.
You will be required to provide:
• Personal information - provide your work address, phone, email, etc.
• Organizational information
• Details about your organization
• Financial information
Each person who should have access to your grants must have an account in Iowa GVS as well.
Criminal Justice Grants - The deadline to apply for these competitive grants is past.
Criminal justice grants are awarded to non profit organizations, law enforcement agencies, courts, victim witness coordinators and prosecutors. The majority of funding for criminal justice grants is STOP and VOCA; the projects funded include violence against women prosecutors, victim witness coordinators, DART and SART teams, violence against women law enforcement efforts and community coordinated response teams.
Victim Services Grants - The deadline to apply for these grants is past.
Victim services grants are awarded to non profit organizations, governmental agencies and institutes of higher education. Victims services grants fund projects and programs designed to assist crime victims with healing after victimization. These grants are for comprehensive victim services agencies, culturally specific agencies and organizations who serve victims in specific capacity.
The Iowa Attorney General's Office administers the following grant funds:
- Federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victim Assistance funds are awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime. The funds come entirely from fines and penalties assessed against convicted federal criminals.
- Violence Against Women Act (VAWA or VW) funds are awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women. Congress appropriates the funds annually. Iowa's VAWA Implementation Plan.
- Federal Family Violence Prevention & Services Act Grant (FVPSA) funds are awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Community Services, Administration for Children and Families. Congress appropriates the funds annually.
- Federal Sexual Abuse Services Program (SASP) funds are awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women. Congress appropriates the funds annually.
- Iowa’s Domestic Abuse (DA) and Sexual Abuse (SA) funds are appropriated by the Iowa General Assembly annually.
Contact Information
Office of the Attorney General of Iowa
Victim Assistance
Hoover State Office Building
1305 East Walnut Street
Des Moines, IA 50319
Phone: 515-281-5044
Toll-Free: 800-373-5044
FAX: 515-281-8199
For more information contact Lori Miller, grant administrator
