Opportunity Information: Apply for O OVC 2025 172519

The OVC FY25 Housing Assistance for Victims of Human Trafficking grant is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), designed to strengthen housing stability for people who have experienced human trafficking. The program is centered on rapid rehousing, meaning it prioritizes getting victims into safe, stable living situations as quickly as possible and pairing housing with supportive services that help them transition toward permanent housing and long-term stability. In practice, this focuses on reducing the time a victim spends in unsafe or unstable environments and addressing immediate barriers that can prevent them from securing and keeping housing.

Funding under this NOFO must support one or more core housing purposes. First, it can fund transitional housing, including the operating expenses of either a newly developed transitional housing program or an existing one. This generally points to costs needed to keep a transitional housing model running and available for trafficking victims. Second, it can fund short-term housing assistance, which includes help with rent or utility payments and related relocation expenses. The NOFO specifically highlights costs such as security deposits and other expenses incidental to relocation to transitional housing, recognizing that small upfront costs are often the difference between someone being able to move into housing quickly or remaining in crisis.

A wide range of entities are eligible to apply. Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, and city or township governments, as well as special district governments. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education are eligible, along with federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities may also apply. Nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education) are eligible, and the NOFO also includes an "other" category that can encompass additional qualified entities. The opportunity clarifies that for purposes of eligibility, the term "state" includes not only the 50 U.S. states, but also the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. It also defines "other units of local government" broadly to include towns, boroughs, parishes, villages, and other general-purpose political subdivisions of a state.

There is a notable eligibility restriction for certain nonprofits: nonprofit organizations that hold money in offshore accounts for the purpose of avoiding paying the tax described in 26 U.S.C. section 511(a) are not eligible to apply. This requirement is an explicit screening factor and should be addressed carefully by nonprofit applicants during eligibility review and compliance planning.

From an administrative standpoint, the program is listed under CFDA number 16.320 and is categorized under Income Security and Social Services. The funding instrument is a grant, and the opportunity is identified as O-OVC-2025-172519. OVC expects to make about 17 awards, with an award ceiling of $1,200,000 per award. The posted closing date is February 24, 2026, giving applicants a defined timeline to develop partnerships, design a rapid rehousing approach, align supportive services, and prepare the documentation needed for a competitive submission.

  • The Office for Victims of Crime in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OVC FY25 Housing Assistance for Victims of Human Trafficking" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.320.
  • This funding opportunity was created on 2025-12-30.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-02-24. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,200,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 17 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Others.
Apply for O OVC 2025 172519

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the OVC FY25 Housing Assistance for Victims of Human Trafficking grant?

It is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). The purpose is to strengthen housing stability for people who have experienced human trafficking.

What is the main program approach emphasized in this opportunity?

The opportunity is centered on rapid rehousing. This means prioritizing placement of victims into safe, stable living situations as quickly as possible and pairing housing with supportive services to help them move toward permanent housing and long-term stability.

What problem is rapid rehousing intended to address for trafficking victims?

The approach is designed to reduce the time a victim spends in unsafe or unstable environments and to address immediate barriers that can prevent someone from securing and keeping housing.

What types of activities or costs must funding support?

Funding under this NOFO must support one or more core housing purposes. The NOFO describes transitional housing support (including operating expenses for new or existing programs) and short-term housing assistance (including rent, utilities, and relocation-related expenses).

Can funds be used for transitional housing programs?

Yes. The NOFO allows funding for transitional housing, including operating expenses of a newly developed transitional housing program or an existing one, focusing on costs needed to keep a transitional housing model running and available for trafficking victims.

Can funds be used for short-term housing assistance like rent or utilities?

Yes. The NOFO includes short-term housing assistance, which can cover help with rent or utility payments.

Are relocation expenses eligible under short-term housing assistance?

Yes. The NOFO includes related relocation expenses and specifically highlights costs such as security deposits and other expenses incidental to relocation to transitional housing.

Why does the NOFO highlight security deposits and similar upfront costs?

The NOFO recognizes that relatively small upfront costs are often the difference between someone being able to move into housing quickly or remaining in crisis.

Who is eligible to apply for this grant?

A wide range of entities are eligible, including state governments, county governments, city or township governments, and special district governments. Eligible applicants also include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education); and an "other" category that can include additional qualified entities.

Are nonprofit organizations eligible to apply?

Yes. Nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education) are eligible, subject to the NOFO's stated restriction related to offshore accounts.

Is there any nonprofit eligibility restriction mentioned?

Yes. Nonprofit organizations that hold money in offshore accounts for the purpose of avoiding paying the tax described in 26 U.S.C. section 511(a) are not eligible to apply.

How is the term "state" defined for eligibility purposes?

For eligibility, "state" includes the 50 U.S. states and also the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

What does the NOFO mean by "other units of local government"?

The opportunity defines "other units of local government" broadly to include towns, boroughs, parishes, villages, and other general-purpose political subdivisions of a state.

What is the CFDA number for this program?

The program is listed under CFDA number 16.320.

How is this program categorized administratively?

It is categorized under Income Security and Social Services.

What type of funding instrument is used?

The funding instrument is a grant.

What is the opportunity identifier for this NOFO?

The opportunity is identified as O-OVC-2025-172519.

How many awards does OVC expect to make?

OVC expects to make about 17 awards.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling is $1,200,000 per award.

What is the application deadline?

The posted closing date is February 24, 2026.

What should applicants plan to do before the closing date, based on the NOFO description?

Based on the NOFO description, applicants should plan time to develop partnerships, design a rapid rehousing approach, align supportive services, and prepare the documentation needed for a competitive submission.

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