New Jersey Victim Assistance Grant Program (NJVAG)

Program Description
The New Jersey Victim Assistance Grant program is administered by the Division of Criminal Justice, State Office of Victim-Witness Advocacy. Under this program, subgrants are awarded to public and private nonprofit agencies with the goal of assisting victims in the aftermath of crime and through the criminal justice system. Funds for the program are derived primarily from Federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds and may include Victim and Witness Advocacy Fund (VWAF). Outlined below are descriptions of the two funding sources as well as information on the distribution of these funds.

Federal Victims of Crime Act Funds
Federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds are generated by assessments levied on offenders of federal crimes and are used to support services to victims of violent crime. VOCA defines a crime victim as "a person who has suffered physical, sexual, financial or emotional harm as a result of the commission of a crime."

Services are defined as those efforts that respond to the emotional and physical needs of crime victims; assist primary and secondary victims of crime to stabilize their lives after victimization; assist victims to understand and participate in the criminal justice system; and provide victims of crime with a measure of safety such as boarding up broken windows and replacing or repairing locks. VOCA also seeks to encourage public and private nonprofit agencies to commit other resources by requiring matching funds (cash and the value of in-kind services) in conjunction with federal funds to achieve the objectives of this program.

In addition, the VOCA grant assists state, county, and municipal agencies to meet the needs of crime victims and to assist public and nonprofit agencies in providing and/or enhancing services to victims of crime. In doing so, VOCA funds are used to ensure that crime victims are treated with fairness, compassion, and respect by the criminal justice system to prevent secondary victimization by the system. This is consistent with the intent of VOCA's enabling legislation.

State Victim and Witness Advocacy Fund

The Victim and Witness Advocacy Fund (VWAF) was created by law to support services to victims and witnesses of crime. "Victim" means a person who suffers personal, physical or psychological injury or death or incurs loss of or injury to personal or real property as a result of a crime; or as a result of a motor vehicle accident involving another person's driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol; or as a result of a bias incident, domestic violence or a motor vehicle violation involving a fatality. "Witness" is described as a person who suffers trauma as a result of witnessing a crime or a motor vehicle accident involving another person's driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol; or a bias incident, domestic violence or a motor vehicle violation involving a fatality.

VWAF revenue is generated by assessments levied on offenders at sentencing. State law mandates that the Victim and Witness Advocacy Fund supports the statewide victim assistance program in the State and 21 County Prosecutors' Offices of Victim-Witness Advocacy. All law enforcement agencies in the state, including the County Prosecutors' Offices and the Division of Criminal Justice, are bound by the Attorney General Standards to Ensure the Rights of Crime Victims which outlines mandatory services for crime victims. The majority of these services are provided through the State and County Offices of Victim-Witness Advocacy.

Rules and Regulations
Funds distributed through the New Jersey Victim Assistance Grant program will be administered in a manner consistent with appropriate federal and state guidelines (VOCA: Federal Register, April 22, 1997; VWAF: New Jersey Register, December 20, 1998).

The Division of Criminal Justice reserves the right to decline any application for grant funding and to award subgrants in amounts that may be other than requested. Incomplete applications or applications received after a given published application deadline will not be considered.

Application Requirements
Eligibility
Each applicant must meet the following criteria:

• provide services to crime victims and be operated by a public agency or a nonprofit agency with documented 501(c)3) status
• demonstrate a record of providing effective services to crime victims (those agencies that have not yet demonstrated a record of providing services may be eligible to receive funding if they can demonstrate financial support from other sources, not more than 25% of which can be federal funds)
• any of the additional criteria for competitive subgrants included in the Notice of Availability of Funds published in the New Jersey Register and on this website.

Note: Applicants should carefully review the program, reporting, equipment management and fiscal requirements contained in the NJVAG Program Guidelines to ensure ability to comply should an award be made.

Click here for information on applying for an NJVAG Program grant.

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