Team Kentucky remains committed to improving services and supporting survivors as they rebuild their lives
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 3, 2026) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear announced that applications are open for $2.2 million in federal grant funding from the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to support survivors of domestic and dating violence and assault in Kentucky.
“Every single survivor of domestic or dating violence in the commonwealth deserves the opportunity to take back their life, and this federal grant funding helps us help those who need it most,” Gov. Beshear said. “To the survivors who are wondering if support is out there, I’m here to tell you that you are not alone and that Team Kentucky is ready to help you every step of the way.”
“It takes a tremendous amount of bravery and support for survivors to overcome domestic and dating violence. It’s our responsibility to ensure we are there for them with all the resources they need as they begin to heal and move forward,” said the First Lady. “Together we can support survivors, raise awareness around the signs of abuse, and end violence in our communities.”
The federal VAWA Services, Training, Officers, Prosecution (STOP) Formula Grant Program requires administering agencies to allocate funding for law enforcement, prosecutors, victim services, and state and local courts. It also allows for discretionary distribution and encourages a focus on projects that serve adults and youth (ages 11-17 years) who are victims of intimate partner violence.
In June, Team Kentucky launched an interactive data dashboard for the public to more easily view data; compare statewide statistics by county and area development district; and gather specific information on offenders, domestic violence shelters and support services, as well as law enforcement-related outcomes. The dashboard includes data from each of Kentucky’s annual domestic violence data reports. The dashboard was released along with the 2025 Domestic Violence Data Report.
“Kentucky’s victim service providers give survivors support services that are, sadly, desperately needed in our commonwealth,” Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Keith Jackson said. “By working with providers, we’re making sure our people have the support they need to lead safe, happy lives right here in Kentucky.”
Applications must be submitted online by 6 p.m. EDT on Sept. 11, 2026, via Intelligrants 10.0 (IGX), the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet’s electronic grants management system. Assistance with the application process may be obtained by contacting Grants Management staff at JUSIGX@ky.gov. Awards are expected to be announced in December with the award date beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
The Governor and First Lady have prioritized using their positions to support survivors and ensure every Kentuckian is safe from violence in their communities.
Mrs. Beshear is dedicated to raising awareness and supporting survivors by serving on the advisory board for the National Coalition for the Prevention of Sex Trafficking and regularly joins the Governor to recognize human trafficking and domestic violence prevention efforts. Additionally, the First Lady’s annual Shop & Share program directly helps domestic violence shelters located across the commonwealth have the resources and supplies they need to help survivors and their children be safe and help them rebuild their lives.
Gov. Beshear has been committed to supporting survivors and ending Kentucky’s sexual assault kit backlog since his time as Attorney General. This was a priority for Beshear during his time in the Attorney General’s Office, and he took several steps to provide justice for sexual assault victims, including:
- Providing $4.5 million in settlement money to lawmakers to fund requested KSP crime lab upgrades
- Providing $1 million to aid law enforcement and prosecutors in conducting victim-centered investigations and prosecuting sexual assault offenders.
- Creating the Survivors Council to advise and assist his office on matters related to victims of crime.
- Hiring a victim advocate, investigator, prosecutor and SAKI coordinator in the Office of the Attorney General.
- Establishing a Cold Case Unit to address cases that have gone years without closure and later receiving a $1.4 million grant to further expand the unit.
Since Beshear became Governor, his administration has continued this work by awarding $189 million in grant funding to victim service agencies across the commonwealth. The Governor has continued to protect Kentuckians by signing legislation to:
Team Kentucky remains committed to increasing public safety in the commonwealth, and the Governor’s public safety actions are making communities safer for every Kentuckian who calls them home.
In May, the Governor announced the Kentucky State Police (KSP) received more than $172,000 in federal grant funding to continue the commonwealth’s ongoing work to provide justice to survivors and victims of sexual offenses in the commonwealth through the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI). Kentucky’s SAKI team was created by the Governor in 2021 and works to leverage existing resources to investigate and identify sexual offenders. Since its creation, the KSP SAKI team has received more than $4.8 million in federal grant funding, including $1.5 million in 2021, more than $840,000 in 2022 and $2.5 million in 2023.
Since Gov. Beshear took office, fewer Kentuckians have returned to prison after their release. In February, the Governor announced that recidivism rates in the commonwealth have decreased for two years in a row, meaning that nearly 70% of those released from state custody have not returned. To build on this progress, Gov. Beshear recently signed House Bill 5, which provides the framework to create Kentucky’s first reentry campus, focused on increased public safety and boosting the state’s workforce.
For four straight years, overdose deaths have decreased in Kentucky. In 2025, the commonwealth saw 22.9% fewer overdose deaths than the year prior.
In 2023, the Governor signed Senate Bill 79 establishing the Safe at Home Program, which protects the residential addresses of survivors of domestic violence and other sexual crimes as well as the addresses of those who reside in the same household as the victim. Gov. Beshear also signed legislation in 2023 that doubled the weekly amount available for crime victims for lost wages to $300 per week from $150 per week; increased the amount available for funeral expenses to $7,500 from $5,000 and increased the overall total award available to $30,000 from $25,000.
###