WASHINGTON, D.C. – Attorney General Karl A. Racine today announced two new grant programs to improve public safety and reduce crime – the Returning Resident Grant Program, which will help provide critical reentry assistance to returning residents in the District, and the Victim Supports Grant Program, which offers financial, emotional, and social support to survivors of crime. Eligible organizations can apply for grant funding through Friday, December 2, 2022.

“Since day one, as the District’s first independent elected Attorney General, my office has been laser focused on reducing violence and improving public safety across the city through a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of criminal behavior,” said AG Racine. “While there’s no simple fix to the complex problems that cause violence, these grants will help fill a critical resources gap and support organizations on the front lines offering services to crime victims and helping those who served their time navigate a successful return home.”

In conjunction with the funding announcement, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is hosting a panel discussion and screening of a new documentary film, Redemption, today (November, 14) at 7:00pm, which focuses on the challenges returning residents face. The event is open to the public and will be held at the University of the District of Columbia’s Theatre of the Arts. RSVP here.

Returning Resident Grant Program

It is estimated that more than 3,500 residents return to the District from incarceration each year, and they often face significant challenges re-integrating into their communities and accessing the resources they need to become productive members of society. Residents who have spent years behind bars often return to unrecognizable neighborhoods, technologies they don’t know how to use, and disconnection from their families and children. This is exacerbated by the lack of statehood, which means that District residents are often housed in Bureau of Prisons facilities hundreds of miles away from home. Returning residents are also often in need of access to basic human rights like food, transitional housing, job skills, family reunification, and care coordination. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) recognizes the efforts of local organizations assisting those returning to our city and looks forward to working with them to provide returning residents with a stable foundation for a productive life while at the same time reducing recidivism and improving public safety.

Grants of up to $50,000 in funding per grant per organization are available for Fiscal Year 2023 to eligible organizations. Total grant funding will not exceed $300,000. 

Read the full Notice of Funding Availability and application instructions here.

Victim Supports Grant Program

Survivors of crime often need help recovering from the trauma they faced and have a right to be protected and assisted in regaining control and safety of their lives. Victim-centered approaches to repair the harm caused by criminal behavior can help survivors move forward and limits the likelihood of future crime by reducing the impact of post-traumatic stress syndrome and anger that victims often experience. Additionally, victims are often in need of access to basic human rights like food, housing, financial assistance, transportation, and many other services and resources. Organizations working to provide services and supports to young mothers and their children who have been victims of crimes are encouraged to apply. OAG is pleased to offer financial support to eligible organizations that are working with this vulnerable population and build on efforts focusing on the dignity and humanity of community members who are impacted by crime

Supporting these programs leads to an improvement in public safety and OAG aims to provide financial assistance to local non-profits who partner with victims on their path to healing and recovery. 

Grants of up to $50,000 in funding per grant per organization are available for Fiscal Year 2023 to eligible organizations. Total grant funding will not exceed $200,000. 

Read the full Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and application instructions here.

Background on OAG’s Public Safety Grant Programs

Under District law, The Attorney General may issue grants for the purposes of crime reduction, violence interruption, and assistance to victims of crime and other categories of vulnerable residents. This includes seniors, children, and individuals protected from discrimination under Unit A of Chapter 14 of Title 2 (the D.C. Human Rights Act), and individuals previously involved in the criminal justice system.

This funding comes from OAG’s Litigation Support Fund, which receives proceeds from OAG’s litigation. OAG has discretionary authority to issue grants to protect public safety or support vulnerable communities and also provides grants for the Cure the Streets (CTS) violence reduction program and for workers’ rights education. DC law limits grants under non-competitive grants to $50,000 per organization. OAG may issue additional notices depending on the responses it receives and funding availability.