LEXINGTON, Ky. — Governor Andy Beshear announced that applications will open January 12 for more than $4.8 million in federal grant funding to support organizations and agencies across Kentucky that provide direct services to victims of crime and their families.

The funding comes from the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), a grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Justice. Eligible applicants include prosecutor's offices, law enforcement agencies and nonprofit organizations that offer direct services to victims of child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence and other crimes.

"Every single Kentuckian should have the chance to rebuild their lives after experiencing devastating, life-changing events, and that includes crime," Beshear said. "This annual funding helps us support direct services that provide for our people in their times of greatest need, to help them get back on their feet and to let them know their life is not defined by being a crime victim."

Applications must be submitted online by 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on February 13, 2026, through Intelligrants 10.0 (IGX), the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet's electronic grants management system. Assistance with the application process is available by contacting Grants Management staff at JUSIGX@ky.gov. Awards are expected to be announced in May, with funding beginning July 1.

Since taking office, the Beshear-Coleman administration has awarded more than $162 million in grant funding to victim service agencies across the commonwealth. The administration also has prioritized legislation to strengthen protections for crime victims. Beshear signed measures making sexual extortion a felony and strengthening statutory language regarding abuse and sexual exploitation of minors. According to state crime data, serious crime reports decreased 7.66 percent from 2023 to 2024, and Kentucky has experienced three consecutive years of declining overdose deaths.