OVW FY 2017 Enhanced Training and Services to End Abuse in Later Life Program | OVW 2017 11900

Opportunity Information: Apply for OVW 2017 11900

The OVW FY 2017 Enhanced Training and Services to End Abuse in Later Life Program is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). Its purpose is to strengthen communities responses to abuse in later life by supporting projects that either build new capacity or improve existing efforts to address elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The program is specifically focused on victims who are 50 years of age or older, and it recognizes that harm against older adults can take multiple, overlapping forms, including sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking, as well as other types of exploitation and neglect that often intersect with safety, housing, health, and legal needs.

This opportunity was offered as a cooperative agreement, which generally means OVW expects an active partnership role during the project period rather than a hands-off pass-through of funds. In practical terms, recipients should be prepared for more structured oversight, coordination, and potential collaboration with OVW around implementation, reporting, and adherence to program goals. The funding activity aligns with areas such as income security and social services and law, justice, and legal services, reflecting the reality that addressing abuse in later life often requires coordinated work across victim services, adult protective services, civil and criminal legal systems, and community-based supports.

Eligible applicants were broad and included public-sector and community-based entities that commonly play roles in protecting and serving older victims. Eligible applicants included state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education). The listing also included an "others" category with the note to consult the full solicitation text for additional eligibility clarifications, signaling that OVW sometimes allows certain additional entities or partnerships depending on how the program is structured in the full announcement.

The opportunity carried a CFDA number of 16.528 and was identified by Funding Opportunity Number OVW 2017 11900. It opened with a creation date of January 5, 2017, and had an original closing date of February 21, 2017, indicating a relatively standard application window for OVW discretionary solicitations. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) was $400,000 per award, and OVW anticipated making about 9 awards. Taken together, those figures suggest a competitive national program intended to fund a limited set of projects with enough resources to deliver meaningful training and service enhancements, but with selectivity that favors well-structured proposals and clear community coordination.

Substantively, the grant is centered on improving training and services for professionals and systems that encounter older victims. While the short description does not list specific required activities, the title and purpose point to work such as cross-training among victim advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, aging services providers, and other partners; improving screening and identification of abuse in later life; strengthening referral pathways and coordinated response protocols; and expanding or tailoring direct services so they are accessible and appropriate for victims aged 50 and older. The emphasis on multiple victimization types (sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking) alongside elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation reflects an intent to close gaps where older victims may be overlooked or where systems treat their experiences as purely "elder issues" rather than as violence and victimization requiring specialized safety planning and legal remedies.

Overall, this OVW program is designed to help communities respond more effectively and consistently when older adults experience abuse, whether in intimate relationships, family or caregiver contexts, or situations involving exploitation and neglect. By funding targeted improvements in training and service delivery, the program aims to increase victim safety, improve access to justice and supportive services, and create more coordinated local approaches that acknowledge the distinct barriers older victims may face, such as isolation, dependency on caregivers, health or mobility limitations, and financial exploitation.

• The Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women in the income security and social services, law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OVW FY 2017 Enhanced Training and Services to End Abuse in Later Life Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.528.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jan 05, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 21, 2017. (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 $400,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 9 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), 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 (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for OVW 2017 11900

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