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Press Release
BILLINGS — U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich today announced grant funding of nearly $6 million for Montana from the Department of Justices’ Office of Justice Programs to support victims of sexual assault and crime victims. The funding, totaling $5.96 million, is for three separate grant programs.
“I am pleased to announce these grants to the state of Montana for its important work in providing support services to crime victims, including victims of sexual assault. This funding demonstrates the U.S. Department of Justice’s commitment in fighting sexual violence and making sure every survivor can access support, safety, and justice in their communities. The grants also continue to help and support victims of crime through assistance and compensation programs,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
The Montana Board of Crime Control will receive $787,911 from the Office on Violence Against Women’s Fiscal Year 2023 Sexual Assault Services Formula Program (SASP). The project period starts August 2023 and will end July 2025. These funds are made available through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This grant award was among a total of $51.8 million in SASP funding the Justice Department awarded in every state along with the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the North Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. This marks a significant increase of nearly 45 percent when compared to last year’s funding level.
Congress first authorized SASP in the VAWA Reauthorization of 2005. SASP is the nation’s first federal funding stream dedicated to providing direct intervention and related assistance to victims of sexual assault. The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) administers SASP funding according to a statutorily determined, population-based formula. States and territories, in turn, award the funds to rape crisis centers and other nonprofit, nongovernmental or Tribal agencies that provide direct intervention and related services to adult, youth, and child victims of sexual assault.
The Montana Board of Crime Control also will receive $4,910,121 from the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) as part of its Fiscal Year 2023 Victims of Crime Act Victim Assistance Formula Grant. The project period started October 2022 and will end September 2026. This grant award will provide money from the Crime Victims Fund to enhance crime victim services in the state.
The Montana Department of Justice will receive $270,000 from the OVC as part of its Fiscal Year 2023 Victims of Crime Act Victim Compensation Formula Grant. The project period started October 2022 and will end September 2026. This grant award provides resources from the Crime Victims Fund to enhance state victim compensation payments to eligible crime victims.
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Clair Johnson Howard
Public Affairs Officer
406-247-4623
Clair.Howard@usdoj.gov