Opportunity Information: Apply for WH AST 26 001
The Protecting and Rehabilitating Sexually Exploited Women and Girls Through Long-Term Safe Homes opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number WH AST 26 001) is a discretionary federal grant program run by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Office on Women's Health (OWH). It is supported by FY 2026 appropriations and authorized under sections of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 237a and 42 U.S.C. 300u-2(a)). The central purpose is to reduce sexual violence and its long-term harms by funding initiatives that operate safe homes specifically designed for women and girls who have been sexually exploited and/or abused.
A key feature of this program is that it prioritizes long-term residential settings rather than short-term or emergency shelter. Applicants are expected to provide housing for months or years, long enough to match the rehabilitation needs of residents. The safe home model described goes beyond simply offering a bed and a secure location; it is meant to function as a stable, therapeutic environment that supports recovery and reduces the risk of further harm or re-traumatization. The homes are expected to be staffed around the clock and to provide an organized setting capable of meeting ongoing safety, health, and recovery needs.
The grant emphasizes comprehensive, multidisciplinary care. Funded projects should address a broad set of needs that often follow exploitation and abuse, including physical health care, mental and behavioral health services, emotional support, social services, and educational support. The intent is to fund programs that can respond to the full reality of recovery, recognizing that survivors may need coordinated medical attention, trauma-informed counseling, support for substance use disorder treatment when relevant, help re-entering school or job training pathways, and consistent case management that helps them stabilize over time.
Applicants are also expected to strengthen partnerships at the state and/or community level. The notice highlights collaboration with health care systems and providers, domestic and sexual violence organizations, law enforcement, behavioral health providers, substance use disorder treatment providers, and education providers, among others. The government is signaling that strong referral networks, shared protocols, and coordinated services are important parts of the safe-home approach. A practical aim of these partnerships is to improve the ability of health care providers and other frontline systems to identify victims, connect them to appropriate long-term care, and prevent cycles of continued violence and re-traumatization.
Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses). Nonprofit applicants may need to provide documentation of tax-exempt status. If a project depends on partners or facilities not directly controlled by the applicant, the funding agency may require written assurances, letters of commitment, memoranda of understanding, or similar agreements to demonstrate that the collaboration and access to services or facilities are real and secured.
From an award and timing standpoint, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $2,000,000 per award and anticipates making 4 awards. The assistance listing (CFDA) number associated with the program is 93.088. The posting shows a creation date of 2026-06-18 and an application closing date of 2026-07-20. Overall, the opportunity is designed for organizations that can run (or meaningfully expand) a long-term, trauma-informed safe-home program and can demonstrate strong, operational partnerships that deliver coordinated health, behavioral health, educational, and supportive services for sexually exploited and/or abused women and girls.Apply for WH AST 26 001
- The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Protecting and Rehabilitating Sexually Exploited Women and Girls Through Long-Term Safe Homes" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.088.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-06-18.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-07-20. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Protecting and Rehabilitating Sexually Exploited Women and Girls Through Long-Term Safe Homes.
2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is WH AST 26 001.
3) Which federal office runs this program?
This is a discretionary federal grant program run by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Office on Women's Health (OWH).
4) What is the main purpose of the program?
The central purpose is to reduce sexual violence and its long-term harms by funding initiatives that operate safe homes specifically designed for women and girls who have been sexually exploited and/or abused.
5) What type of housing does the program prioritize?
The program prioritizes long-term residential settings rather than short-term or emergency shelter. Applicants are expected to provide housing for months or years, long enough to match the rehabilitation needs of residents.
6) How is a "safe home" described in this opportunity?
A safe home under this program is described as more than a secure place to stay. It is intended to be a stable, therapeutic environment that supports recovery and reduces the risk of further harm or re-traumatization. The homes are expected to be staffed around the clock and provide an organized setting that can meet ongoing safety, health, and recovery needs.
7) Does the program fund emergency shelters or short-term placements?
The opportunity explicitly emphasizes long-term safe homes and notes it prioritizes long-term residential settings rather than short-term or emergency shelter.
8) What services are expected to be part of the safe-home model?
The grant emphasizes comprehensive, multidisciplinary care. Funded projects should address a broad set of needs that often follow exploitation and abuse, including:
- Physical health care
- Mental and behavioral health services
- Emotional support
- Social services
- Educational support
9) Is trauma-informed care part of what the program is looking for?
Yes. The opportunity describes the safe home as a therapeutic environment designed to support recovery and reduce re-traumatization, and it is intended for organizations that can run (or meaningfully expand) a long-term, trauma-informed safe-home program.
10) Does the program expect case management and coordinated support over time?
Yes. The intent is to fund programs that recognize survivors may need coordinated medical attention, trauma-informed counseling, support for substance use disorder treatment when relevant, help re-entering school or job training pathways, and consistent case management that helps residents stabilize over time.
11) What kinds of partnerships are encouraged or expected?
Applicants are expected to strengthen partnerships at the state and/or community level. The notice highlights collaboration with organizations and systems such as:
- Health care systems and providers
- Domestic and sexual violence organizations
- Law enforcement
- Behavioral health providers
- Substance use disorder treatment providers
- Education providers
12) Why are partnerships important for this grant?
The opportunity signals that strong referral networks, shared protocols, and coordinated services are key parts of the safe-home approach. A practical aim is to improve the ability of health care providers and other frontline systems to identify victims, connect them to appropriate long-term care, and help prevent cycles of continued violence and re-traumatization.
13) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes the following entity types:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Tribal organizations
- Public housing authorities / Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education)
- For-profit organizations (other than small businesses)
14) Can nonprofits apply if they do not have 501(c)(3) status?
Yes. The eligibility list includes nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education).
15) Do nonprofit applicants need to provide proof of tax-exempt status?
The opportunity notes that nonprofit applicants may need to provide documentation of tax-exempt status.
16) Can for-profit organizations apply?
Yes. The eligibility list includes for-profit organizations (other than small businesses).
17) What if the project relies on partners or facilities the applicant does not control?
If a project depends on partners or facilities not directly controlled by the applicant, the funding agency may require written assurances such as letters of commitment, memoranda of understanding (MOUs), or similar agreements to show that collaboration and access to services or facilities are real and secured.
18) What is the award ceiling (maximum funding amount) per award?
The award ceiling is $2,000,000 per award.
19) How many awards does the program anticipate making?
The opportunity anticipates making 4 awards.
20) What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this program?
The assistance listing (CFDA) number associated with this program is 93.088.
21) What are the key dates listed in the posting?
The posting shows a creation date of 2026-06-18 and an application closing date of 2026-07-20.
22) What kinds of organizations is this opportunity designed for?
Overall, the opportunity is designed for organizations that can run (or meaningfully expand) a long-term safe-home program for sexually exploited and/or abused women and girls, and that can demonstrate strong, operational partnerships delivering coordinated health, behavioral health, educational, and supportive services.
23) Does the opportunity specify that staffing must be continuous?
Yes. The safe homes are expected to be staffed around the clock.
24) What outcomes is the program trying to influence through long-term safe homes?
The opportunity describes an intent to reduce sexual violence and long-term harms by providing stability and coordinated services that support recovery, improve identification and referral pathways through partnerships, and reduce the risk of further harm and re-traumatization.
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