Learn about laws and policies, FAQs, training and technical assistance resources, and other resources to help State Administering Agencies manage their VOCA Victim Assistance awards.
Laws and Policies
The following laws and policies govern the administration of VOCA Assistance formula funding.
Victims of Crime Act (VOCA)
Created in 1983 to implement recommendations from the President’s Task Force on Victims of Crime, OVC was authorized in 1988 through an amendment to the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984 to administer the Crime Victims Fund, which provides funds to states for victim assistance and compensation programs that offer support and services to those affected by violent crimes. Guidance provided for the victim assistance and compensation grant programs is in accordance with VOCA.
VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021
This law, which went into effect on July 22, 2021, is a historic effort to stabilize the Crime Victims Fund. Among other provisions, this law—
- Requires that all the fines and penalties collected by the Federal Government under deferred and non-prosecution agreements be deposited into the Crime Victims Fund;
- Clarifies that states may waive a requirement that victim compensation programs promote victim cooperation with law enforcement;
- Allows or requires states to waive matching requirements for Crime Victims Fund grant funds under certain circumstances; and
- Provides the Attorney General with the authority to provide no-cost extensions to all VOCA award recipients.
VOCA Formula Victim Assistance Grant Program Final Rule (en Español)
VOCA authorizes OVC to provide an annual formula grant from the Crime Victims Fund to each State and eligible territory for the purpose of providing assistance to victims of crime. These annual Victim Assistance Program formula grants are used by the States to provide financial support to eligible crime victim assistance programs. This rule codifies and updates the existing Victims Assistance Guidelines to reflect changes in OVC policy, the needs of the crime victim services field, and VOCA itself. See a side-by-side comparison of the VOCA Victim Assistance Guidelines and the Rule.
DOJ Grants Financial Guide
The DOJ Grants Financial Guide (the Guide) is the primary reference manual to assist OVC award recipients in fulfilling their financial responsibility to safeguard grant funds and ensure funds are used for the purposes for which they were awarded. It compiles a variety of laws, rules and regulations that affect the financial and administrative management of your award. Recipients (and subrecipients) should refer to their award terms and conditions to determine the specific requirements that apply to their award.
This Guide should be the starting point for all recipients and subrecipients in ensuring the effective day-to-day management of awards.
OVC Bulletin
VOCA Victim Assistance Funds May Support Community Violence Intervention Efforts (en Español)
This bulletin clarifies that VOCA Victim Assistance formula funding may be used to support community violence intervention efforts.
Additional Guidance
Match Waiver
This section of our site provides VOCA Administrators with information about OVC’s match waiver policy, the match waiver process, and how to complete the match waiver spreadsheet.
Subrecipient Monitoring
This section of our site provides information on relevant monitoring rules and regulations and monitoring tools available to VOCA administrators.
Time and Effort Best Practices for VOCA-Funded Personnel
This document serves as a resource for VOCA recipients when documenting salaries, wages, and fringe benefits for grant funded personnel. Where grant recipients work on multiple grant programs or cost activities, documentation must support a reasonable allocation or distribution of costs among specific activities or cost objectives.
The allocation or distribution of costs should be an after-the-fact accounting not based on estimates. Payroll records must reflect actual time spent on the activity or activities. Additionally, records must be certified by the employee and approved by a supervisor with firsthand knowledge of the work performed.
Additional Resources
View the following resources for assistance with administering VOCA funding.