Combating Hate Crimes Grant Program

The Combating Hate Crimes Grant Program is administered by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, a state agency responsible for supporting public safety initiatives, law enforcement coordination, and community-based crime prevention efforts across the Commonwealth of Virginia. This program is funded through state appropriations and is designed to address the growing need for proactive measures that reduce bias-motivated incidents. The initiative aligns with statutory definitions of hate crimes under Virginia law and seeks to strengthen protections for individuals and communities vulnerable to targeted violence based on characteristics such as race, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or national origin. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to minimize hate crimes by supporting institutions and nonprofit organizations that are either at risk of being targeted or have previously experienced such incidents. Funding is intended to enhance safety, preparedness, and response capabilities. Eligible projects include activities such as security enhancements, training for staff and volunteers, deployment of monitoring technologies, and conducting risk assessments. The program emphasizes preventive strategies and capacity building within communities to deter incidents before they occur. Funding is provided for a defined project period beginning November 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027. Approximately one million dollars in total funding is expected to be available for this round of awards. Funds are distributed on a cost reimbursement basis, requiring recipients to initially incur expenses and then request reimbursement. There is no matching requirement, and continuation funding is not available. Allowable expenses include equipment for security, contractual security services, training programs, and limited personnel costs tied directly to project implementation. Non-allowable costs include construction, vehicle purchases, lobbying, and unrelated personnel expenses. Eligibility for this program includes local governments within Virginia that have established partnerships with nonprofit organizations, as well as nonprofit organizations themselves. Applicants must demonstrate that they are at risk of hate crimes and must meet administrative requirements such as maintaining an active System for Award Management registration and obtaining a Unique Entity Identifier. Applicants must also be in good standing with prior grant reporting requirements if they have received funding from the agency before. Applications must be submitted through the Online Grants Management System, where applicants complete several required components including a general information section, project narrative, goals and objectives, budget forms, attachments, and certifications. The project narrative must clearly articulate the need, proposed activities, target population, and sustainability plan. Evaluation criteria focus on clarity, demonstrated need, feasibility, cost effectiveness, and alignment with program goals. Applications are reviewed competitively, and final funding decisions are made by the Criminal Justice Services Board. The application deadline for this funding opportunity is August 18, 2026, at 5:00 pm Eastern Time. Late submissions are not accepted. Applications will be reviewed prior to board consideration on October 8, 2026, when award decisions are finalized. Applicants may seek technical assistance from program staff during the application process, and support is available for system-related questions. The program does not explicitly state recurrence, and no future cycles are guaranteed, although similar funding rounds may occur periodically depending on state appropriations.

Ensure strong justification of need and clear alignment between project activities and goals; provide detailed and reasonable budget justification; demonstrate risk and impact clearly