Sexual Assault Services Program (SASP)
SASP
Eligibility
Purpose
Allowable Services
Unallowable Costs
Reporting Requirements
Match Requirements
The Sexual Abuse Services Program funds (SASP) was created in 1995 and is included in the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022 in Division W of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 (VAWA 2022; P.L. 117-103). SASP is the first Federal funding stream solely dedicated to the provision of direct intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault. Overall, the purpose of SASP is to support rape crisis centers and other nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations, or tribal programs that provide direct intervention and related assistance to victims of sexual assault, without regard to age.
SASP grantees must adhere to all requirements in the DOJ Grants Financial Guide and the OMB Uniform Guidance.
Sexual abuse programs and rape crisis centers are eligible in Iowa as long as they are considered a non-profit, nongovernmental organization.
The SASP program is authorized by 34 U.S.C § 12511. Purposes of SASP funding are:
(1) to assist States, Indian tribes, and territories in providing intervention, advocacy, accompaniment, support services, and related assistance for—
(A) adult, youth, and child victims of sexual assault;
(B) family and household members of such victims; and
C) those collaterally affected by the victimization, except for the perpetrator of such victimization; and
(2) to provide for technical assistance and training relating to sexual assault to
(A) Federal, State, tribal, territorial and local governments, law enforcement agencies, and courts;
(B) professionals working in legal, social service, and health care settings;
(C) nonprofit organizations;
(D) faith-based organizations; and
(E) other individuals and organizations seeking such assistance.
- Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12511(b)(2)(C), intervention and related assistance may include:
- 24-hour hotline services providing crisis intervention services and referral.
- Accompaniment and advocacy through medical, criminal justice, and social support systems, including medical facilities, police, and court proceedings.
- Crisis intervention, short-term individual and group support services, direct payments, and comprehensive service coordination and supervision to assist sexual assault victims and family or household members.
- Information and referral to assist the sexual assault victim and family or household members.
- Community-based, culturally specific services and support mechanisms, including outreach activities for underserved communities.
- Development and distribution of materials on issues related to the services described in numbers 1 through 5 above.
Other allowable uses of SASP funds include:
- SASP funds may be used to support projects that focus on direct services for children who are victims of sexual assault. Services rendered to children do not have to be in connection to serving an adult parent and there is no age restriction on providing services to children.
- SASP funds may be used to support a hotline to the extent the hotline is for sexual assault victims. If the hotline covers a broader array of issues, the costs should be pro-rated according to the percentage of calls that are for sexual assault. In order for a multi-issue hotline to receive SASP funds, the people who answer the hotline would need to have sexual assault specific training.
- SASP funds may be used to support volunteer related expenses as they relate to the SASP project. Examples would include training and supervision of volunteers.
- Client assistance must be related to the sexual assault and could include:
- Replacement bedding, clothing, or other household items
- Securing new or temporary housing, including paying a security deposit, first month’s rent, or moving expenses.
- Travel expenses.
- Childcare expenses.
- Food, including culturally appropriate food
- Utility assistance (other than utilities in arrears); and
- Security measures such as re-keying locks, replacing a cell phone, or purchasing a motion detector or security camera that does not require installation.
Salaries of staff not providing direct sexual assault services is allowed under some circumstances. These costs must be prorated and must follow grantee’s cost allocation method. For example, a supervisor providing supervision to a SASP-funded FTE providing SA services can charge their time to SASP for actual time performed on the activity. Likewise, a financial staff person can charge a portion of their time for activities directly related to SASP-related business (e.g., submitting financial reports for SASP or payroll for SASP-funded FTEs.). These costs will be minimal because the majority of the SASP funding should be going to support FTEs providing direct sexual assault services.
SASP funds may be used to train advocates (volunteer or employee) that will provide specific grant-funded services. Note: funds may not be used to provide generalized statewide training nor may funds be used to develop training curriculum.
Gift cards to clients are only allowable to the extent that they are used for allowable costs under SASP such as the purchase of emergency food for SASP clients or gas for victims to attend court, appointments etc. related to the victimization. Agencies must acquire a receipt from the client which documents only allowable items (food or gas-in the example) were purchased. Without copies of these receipts, these costs will be deemed unallowable and repayment of these funds will be required.
Applicants are encouraged to allocate grant funds to support activities that help to ensure individuals with disabilities and Deaf individuals and persons with limited English proficiency have meaningful and full access to their programs. For example, grant funds can be used to support American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter services, language interpretation and translation services, or the purchase of adaptive equipment. Applicants proposing to use grant funds to create websites, videos and other materials must ensure that they are accessible to persons with disabilities and grant funds must be allocated for these purposes.
- SASP grant funds may not be used for education programs or training for allied professionals or the general public.
- SASP funds may not be used for activities focused on prevention efforts (e.g. bystander intervention, social norm campaigns, presentations on healthy relationships, etc.). However, funds may be used for outreach to inform persons about the services provided by a specific program. For example, a program could use pamphlets, brochures, or community presentations to announce the services available under the grant.
- SASP funding may not be used for lobbying.
- SASP funding may not be used for research projects.
- SASP funding may not be used for physical modifications to buildings, including minor renovations, painting, carpet.
- SASP funds cannot be used to purchase vehicles.
- SASP funds may not be used for Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SANE) projects.
- SASP funds may not be used for criminal justice-related projects including law enforcement, prosecution, courts and forensic interviews.
- SASP funds may not be used to support Sexual Assault Response Teams (SART). However, if an advocate position is funded under the SASP grant, the advocate’s time in attending SART meetings may be covered as part of the advocacy he or she provides.
- SASP funds may not be used for providing domestic violence services that do not relate to sexual violence.
- SASP funds may not be used for fundraising, including financial campaigns, endowment drives, solicitation of gifts and bequests, and similar expenses incurred solely to raise capital or obtain contributions.
- Unallowable costs relating to activities that compromise victim safety and recovery
The following activities have been found to jeopardize victim safety, deter or prevent physical or emotional healing for victims, or allow offenders to escape responsibility for their actions:
- Procedures or policies that exclude victims from receiving safe shelter, advocacy services, counseling, and other assistance based on their actual or perceived age, immigration status, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental health condition, physical health condition, criminal record, work in the sex industry, or the age and/or gender of their children.
- Crafting policies that deny individuals access to services based on their relationship to the perpetrator.
- Developing materials that are not tailored to the dynamics of sexual assault or the culturally specific population to be served.
- Crafting policies or engaging in practices that impose restrictive conditions to be met by the victim in order to receive services (e.g., counseling, seeking an order for protection).
- Sharing confidential victim information with outside organizations and/or individuals without the documented consent of the victim.
- Crafting policies that require the victim to report the sexual assault to law enforcement.
Performance reports are due annually on or before March 15th in online MEI Impact Tool. https://www.vawamei.org/grant-program/sasp-formula-grant-program/. See ____ for more information on performance report requirements.
Grantees are required to gather and maintain relevant programmatic and financial data. During desk audits, on-site monitoring and any other time you can be asked to provide supporting documentation.
There is no match requirement for SASP funds.
