OVW Fiscal Year 2026 Demonstration Program on Trauma-Informed, Victim Centered Training for Law Enforcement on Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking (Abby Honold) Program

The Demonstration Program on Trauma-Informed, Victim Centered Training for Law Enforcement on Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking, commonly referred to as the Abby Honold Program, is administered by the Office on Violence Against Women within the U.S. Department of Justice. This federal program is authorized under statute and supports the implementation of training initiatives aimed at improving law enforcement responses to crimes involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The Office on Violence Against Women oversees a portfolio of grant programs under the Violence Against Women Act, which are designed to enhance victim safety, offender accountability, and coordinated community responses. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support law enforcement agencies in adopting trauma-informed and victim-centered practices throughout the investigative process, beginning at the initial report and continuing through case resolution. The program emphasizes evidence-based techniques that improve victim engagement, investigative outcomes, and interagency coordination. Applicants are expected to implement structured training programs that enhance officers’ understanding of victim behavior, improve interviewing techniques, and strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration with victim service providers and other stakeholders. Funding is provided in the form of discretionary grants, with an anticipated total program funding of over five million dollars and approximately ten awards expected. Individual awards range up to five hundred thousand dollars and are intended to support a project period of thirty-six months beginning in early fiscal year 2027. Allowable uses of funds include personnel costs, training participation, travel, coordination activities, and project implementation expenses that align with statutory requirements. Applicants must also allocate funds for required training and technical assistance participation and evaluation activities. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement for this program. Eligibility is limited to government entities, specifically state, territorial, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, though eligible government units may apply on behalf of such agencies if necessary. A critical eligibility requirement is the establishment of a formal partnership with a victim service provider, documented through a memorandum of understanding or letter of commitment. This requirement underscores the program’s emphasis on collaborative, victim-centered approaches. Applications that fail to demonstrate this partnership or include disqualifying factors may be removed from consideration. The application process involves a two-step submission. Applicants must first submit a standard federal assistance form through Grants.gov by the stated deadline, followed by a full application submission through the JustGrants system. Required application components include a proposal narrative, detailed budget, partnership documentation, and additional certifications and forms. The proposal narrative must address the project’s purpose, planned activities, and implementation team, while adhering to strict formatting and content requirements. Applications are evaluated based on predefined criteria, including project design, implementation strategy, and organizational capacity. Key deadlines include the Grants.gov submission deadline in late July and the JustGrants submission shortly thereafter. Applicants are encouraged to begin system registrations well in advance due to administrative requirements. Awards are expected to be announced by the end of September, with project implementation beginning at the start of the federal fiscal year. Selected recipients must participate in program evaluation activities, including data collection and reporting, and collaborate with federal training and technical assistance providers. For assistance, applicants may contact the Office on Violence Against Women via email or phone as provided in the announcement.

Ensure strong partnership documentation with victim service providers and align proposal narrative closely with evaluation criteria including project design and implementation capacity