Underserved Crime Categories Grant

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Victim Services, is offering the Underserved Crime Categories grant to support organizations that provide specialized services intended to reduce barriers and serve victims of underserved or unserved crime categories. The program is statewide in Michigan and is funded through Victims of Crime Act funding and State Sustainability funding. Eligible victimization categories identified in the GFO include DUI/DWI incidents, other vehicular victimization, elder abuse or neglect, aggravated assault, simple assault, kidnapping, survivors of homicide victims, arson, bullying, burglary, identity theft, fraud and financial crimes, and robbery. The anticipated grant period is January 1, 2027 through September 30, 2027. Eligible services include temporary emergency housing, individual and group support, counseling and therapy, emergency intervention services, advocacy and supportive services, systems change, community education, and public awareness. The program is intended to support services throughout Michigan, with MDHHS considering geographic diversity and equity and seeking to avoid duplication of services within proposed geographic service areas. Grant funds may not support prohibited expenses including direct cash assistance to victims, most medical costs, perpetrator rehabilitation, construction or land acquisition, fundraising, inherently religious activities, applicant legal fees, lobbying, needs assessments or research projects, services to perpetrators, promotional items, and other expenses identified as unallowable in the GFO. Successful applicants must provide victim services at no charge and must comply with applicable VOCA program requirements. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations, private and public entities, federally recognized tribes, groups of federally recognized tribes in Michigan, Urban Indian Health Clinic programs, and universities. Applicants must have at least two years of experience providing crime victim services for eligible underserved crime victim types. Applicants submitting more than one application are ineligible, as are applicants proposing services substantially outside the GFO scope or applicants unable to demonstrate the required two years of experience. Research projects, batterer intervention projects, inpatient treatment projects, and projects covering comprehensive domestic violence, comprehensive sexual assault, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, human trafficking, or child advocacy services are also excluded. Current State of Michigan employees may not apply. The GFO identifies approximately $5.129 million as available collectively for the Underserved Crime Categories and Responsive Services Victims of Crime GFOs being conducted simultaneously. For UVOC, the stated minimum award is $25,000, the maximum award is $750,000, and the estimated number of awards is 25, with the source marking the total funding and estimated award count with an asterisk explaining that funding is shared across the two simultaneous GFOs. At the time the GFO was released, the Division of Victim Services had received a full VOCA match waiver, so no match is presently required. The GFO explains that in the absence of the waiver, VOCA normally requires a non-federal match equal to 20 percent of total project costs. Native American Indian Tribes and projects operating on tribal land are automatically exempt from VOCA match requirements. Applications must be completed and submitted electronically through the EGrAMS system. All applicants were required to submit a Project Director Request by 5:00 p.m. EST on August 21, 2026, and new EGrAMS applicants also had to register their agency by that deadline. New applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier registered through SAM.gov and a Vendor Customer Number registered through the State of Michigan SIGMA Vendor Self Service system. Only one application is accepted from each applicant, and the applicant's Authorized Official must electronically submit the application and all required materials by 3:00 p.m. EST on August 27, 2026. Technical assistance for submission is available through the EGrAMS Helpdesk at 517-335-3359 until noon EST on the application deadline. Questions concerning GFO content were due to MDHHS-DVS@michigan.gov by August 11, 2026, and the Q&A was scheduled for posting on August 13, 2026. The application is evaluated on a 100-point scale, and an application must receive at least 80 points to be eligible for funding. The scoring structure consists of Program Implementation for 35 points, Experience and Past Performance for 25 points, Education, Credentials and Qualifications for 5 points, Staffing and Training for 10 points, Work Plan for 10 points, and Budget for 15 points. Required application material includes a proposal abstract; geographic service-area information; descriptions of needs and service gaps, accessibility, nondiscrimination, services, program success, collaboration, experience and barriers; service projections; position descriptions; a staff training plan; a work plan; and a nine-month budget. Required uploads include the federal 501(c)(3) determination letter where applicable, the most recent Form 990 and applicable management letter and corrective action, mission and philosophy statements, an optional Volunteer Waiver Request where applicable, and an agency-wide organization chart. The optional pre-application conference was scheduled for August 7, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. EST. The application deadline is August 27, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. EST, with technical assistance ending at noon that day. MDHHS expects to issue award or denial notifications on October 16, 2026, followed by an October 23, 2026 modification deadline for awarded grants. The performance period runs from January 1, 2027 through September 30, 2027. The GFO does not state that this opportunity recurs annually or on another regular schedule, so no future recurrence is assumed. Awards may be renewed at MDHHS's discretion through written award notification issued not less than 30 days before expiration.

Address every scored review criterion directly and aim above the 80-point funding threshold; demonstrate at least two years of relevant victim-service experience; substantiate geographic needs and service gaps; ensure projected clients and service units are reasonable relative to funding and staffing; ensure position titles match across the narrative, organization chart and budget; make work-plan activities span the full grant period and connect measurements to outcomes; request only allowable and reasonable costs; complete submission early enough to correct all EGrAMS validation errors