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FACT SHEET

The Victims Fund

What is the purpose of the Victims Fund?

The Victims Fund aims to improve the experience of victims of crime in the criminal justice system. The Fund has $2 million a year available to meet its objectives, which are to:

• promote access to justice and participation in the justice system and the development of law, policies and programs.
• promote the implementation of principles, guidelines and laws designed to address the needs of victims of crime and articulate their role in the criminal justice system.
• contribute to increased knowledge and awareness of the impact of victimization, the needs of victims of crime, available services, assistance and programs and legislation.
• promote, encourage and/or enhance governmental and non-governmental organizations' involvement in the identification of victim needs and gaps in services, and in the development and delivery of programs, services and assistance to victims, including capacity building within non-governmental organizations.
• provide direct, limited, emergency financial assistance to:
  • Individual victims of crime in exceptional circumstances for emergency situations of undue hardship where no other source of financial assistance is available;
  • Individual victims (family members/survivors) of homicide victims who incur expenses to attend early parole eligibility hearings (s. 745.6);
  • Individual victims of offenders under federal jurisdiction/supervision who incur expenses to attend National Parole Board hearings in respect of the offender.
    

What types of projects qualify for funding?

The Victims Fund provides funding to encourage the development of new approaches to meet the needs of crime victims. The types of projects that could receive funding include projects to assist victims of crime, projects to increase awareness and access to services for victims (especially those in northern and rural communities), projects to enhance the capacity of victim service providers, projects to set up referral networks and public education projects.

Who can apply for this project funding?

Not-for-profit agencies and organizations can apply for project funds; so can individuals, educational institutions, bands and tribal councils, private sector organizations sponsoring a non-profit project and non-governmental international organizations of which Canada is a member.

How are decisions to fund a project made?

The applicant must provide detailed information about the request for funds and a budget. A program manager will review the project proposal and decide if more information is necessary before evaluating the project. A team at the Policy Centre for Victim Issues will review the completed proposal and determine if it meets the funding criteria, has received provincial/territorial approval, and there are sufficient resources in the Fund. The Director of the Centre makes the final decision.

What improves the chances of a funding application?

More funds are requested than there are funds available. A project has a greater chance of success if there are other funding partners and there is demonstrated support from organizations in the community. Often, the Victims Fund cannot cover the full cost of a project and can only contribute towards the cost. The Victims Fund traditionally limits funding to a maximum of $50,000, with most projects receiving between $25,000 and $50,000.

Can a victim of a crime apply to the Victims Fund?

Yes. One purpose of the Victims Fund is to support victims of crime and their families. A small component of the Fund provides emergency financial assistance to individual victims of crime or their surviving family members. Funds are available when, as a result of the crime, the person faces unusual or extreme hardship and there is no other adequate source of financial assistance for the person (e.g. where victimized in a foreign jurisdiction).

The Victims Fund can also help to pay travel costs and other related expenses if a family member plans to attend a Criminal Code section 745.6 parole eligibility hearing. The Fund will reimburse actual costs up to a maximum of $5,000 for one family member and a maximum of $2,500 for additional family members.

The Victims Fund can also provide financial assistance to registered victims of federally supervised offenders to attend National Parole Board (NPB) hearings (actual expenses for travel and accommodation and an allowance for meals in accordance with Treasury Board guidelines).

The Policy Centre for Victim Issues has more information about how to apply for this limited emergency financial assistance and how to apply for financial assistance to attend NPB hearings.

Where is more information available?

More information about the Victims Fund and how to apply to it is available from the Policy Centre for Victim Issues and on the Department of Justice Canada web site.

Policy Centre for Victim Issues
Department of Justice
284 Wellington
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H8
Fax: (613) 941-2269
http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/ps/voc/fund.html

Telephone:

Victims Fund: (613) 957-9581
Financial Assistance to attend NPB hearings: 1-866-544-1007