Witness Protection Grant Program

The FY 2026 Witness Protection Grant Program, provided by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, aims to support witnesses and their families facing potential danger due to their cooperation in felony investigations. This program offers temporary financial assistance for essential expenses like lodging and transportation for up to 90 days. Ongoing applications are welcomed, and early enrollment in the grant program is encouraged to streamline reimbursement processes, ensuring timely support for witnesses in need.

FY 2026 Witness Protection Grant Program Funding Opportunity
The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is pleased to announce the availability of grant funds to assist localities with providing temporary assistance to help alleviate potential intimidation of witnesses. The purpose of the Witness Protection Grant Program (WPGP) is to support witnesses and their families who may be in danger because of their cooperation with the investigation and prosecution of serious felony crimes. Grant awards shall be used to provide time-limited assistance of up to 90 days to witnesses to defray the costs associated with their ability to safely serve as a witness, including, but not limited to, lodging, medical, transportation, food, and relocation expenses.
Applications for this program will be received on an ongoing basis, subject to the availability of funding. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for enrollment in the grant program to reduce the reimbursement timeframe. Enrollment is required before an agency can seek reimbursement.
Initial enrollment applications are encouraged to be submitted in the DCJS Online Grants Management System (OGMS) no later than 5:00 p.m. on July 31, 2025. Enrollment will expedite the claims reimbursement process in the event the agency has a claim. Instructions on how to register in OGMS are available as an attachment. If you have not already done so, it is recommended that you register for OGMS as soon as possible, as the registration process can take several days.
Applications may be submitted on an as-needed basis by eligible entities beyond the enrollment application deadline.