FVPSA ARP Overview

With the passage of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act in March 2021, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) program was appropriated $200M to administer to domestic violence programs, tribes, resource centers, and hotlines; $198M to administer to grants to support sexual assault survivors; and $49.5M to administer to culturally specific domestic violence and sexual assault programs. 

Additionally, the FVPSA program issued $550M to help communities mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic through increased access to mobile health units, testing for survivors fleeing violence, and developing health and wellbeing support services for survivors. In total, the $1B in FVPSA ARP funding reaches 252 tribes, 1,500 domestic violence programs, and 1,400 sexual assault programs. Strategic support for sexual assault survivors through funding for rape crisis centers and sexual assault programs for the first time in FVPSA’s 38-year history.  Funds were released in May and October of 2021 and will go through 2025.   

FVPSA ARP Programs 

All ARP supplemental grant awards provide states, tribes, and local domestic violence and sexual assault programs with the flexibility in how they use the funding to provide shelter, temporary housing, and supportive services, including counseling, mobile advocacy, telehealth, teletherapy, peer support, shelter and temporary housing, rental assistance supplies, and equipment and software to assist in carrying out remote services for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors and their children. As a result, 556 ARP applications were submitted and reviewed in February 2022.  

Intended Program Outcomes

2021 FVPSA ARP COVID-19 Testing, Vaccines, and Mobile Health Units Access: 

• Increase in voluntary access to COVID-19 testing and vaccines​    

• Increase in access to placed-based healthcare ​for survivors​  

• Improved safety and well-being outcomes for ​survivors and children   

      Program Instruction Memo (PDF)

2021 FVPSA ARP Grants to Support Survivors of Sexual Assault: 

• Increase access to rape crisis centers/sexual assault programs transition to meet the emergency needs of sexual assault survivors.​  

     Program Instruction Memo (PDF)

2021 FVPSA ARP Support for Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault from Culturally Specific Population Grant Program: 

• Culturally specific activities for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence survivors from racial and ethnic-specific communities address needs resulting from the COVID-19 public health emergency. 

• Community-based organizations develop strategic partnerships and collaborations for responding to the impact of COVID—19 and other public health concerns on survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.  

      Program Instruction Memo (PDF)

FVPSA's Commitment

The public health response to domestic violence and sexual violence is needed now more than ever as communities, health care systems, and social service agencies increase their commitments to violence prevention for all people, including historically marginalized communities. FVPSA's ARP Program is a shining example of its dedication to addressing this serious public health issue. Additionally, FYSB remains committed to its support of the FVPSA Program and is proud of its positive impact on making the lives of over 1.3 million survivors and their families safer and better.

For additional information and program updates visit our FVPSA ARP Grants Portal, which includes drawdown information, program instruction memos, technical assistance opportunities and success stories from the field.