Eligibility and Criteria

Who Is Eligible for State Conference Support?
Applicants must be organizations/agencies that provide services to crime victims throughout their state. Eligible conference support recipients include the following:

• Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) agencies.
• Statewide coalitions.
• Community and/or faith-based nonprofit organizations.
• Private nonprofit organizations that address the needs of underserved victims.

Organizations from states that have not received OVC conference support in the past and/or do not yet have an established State Victim Assistance Academy (SVAA) in place will receive priority for award consideration.
Once awarded, the support is nontransferable and can only be used for the purpose of supporting the identified conference.

• Organizations/agencies that do not have the support of their state's VOCA administrator.
• Organizations/agencies sponsoring a regional or city/countywide conference.
• Organizations/agencies that receive other OVC discretionary or formula grant funding designated for conference support.
• Organizations/agencies that do not support OVC's mission, goals, and stated priorities.

What Are the Criteria for Conference Support Awards?
Awards are based on the following criteria:

• The organization/agency has the capacity to deliver a conference of the intended scope.
• The organization/agency is the principal organizer of the conference.
• The goals of the conference further the mission, goals, and stated priorities of the Office for Victims of Crime.
• A primary goal of the conference is to focus on victims' rights, services, and/or skills and educational development for victim service providers and allied professionals.
• The organization/agency has demonstrated a strategy for addressing underserved victims of crime in the conference (for example, through workshop topics or audiences identified in conference materials).
• The conference is not otherwise supported with OVC discretionary or formula grant funds.
• OVC TTAC must receive the completed application form with proposed agenda and co-sponsor list, along with a letter of support from the applicant's state VOCA administrator at least 6 months prior to the scheduled event.
• The organization/agency must provide overall budget for the conference and demonstration of other sources of support.