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_ 547 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 394. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 addition, existing administrative funding and positions authorized under paragraphs M. and N. of this item shall support the Office. Of these amounts designated to support the Office, at least $425,000 the first year and at least $400,000 the second year shall be used for a contract with the Virginia Commonwealth University L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs (the School) for the School to collaborate with local entities who have received grant funding appropriated pursuant to subsection N. of this item, including local law enforcement agencies, to provide strategic planning, program evaluation, and data-driven innovations to improve the public sector's response to community violence. The School may collaborate with faculty and students from Virginia State University and Norfolk State University as needed. e. Grant funding provided pursuant to this subsection N. of this item that is used for law- enforcement equipment may solely be used for forensic and analytical purposes, in addition to other requirements set forth in this subsection N. O.1. Out of the appropriation in this item, $3,500,000 the first year and $1,500,000 the second year from the general fund is allocated for the Department of Criminal Justices Services to make competitive grants to combat hate crimes, including but not limited to target hardening activities, contractual security services, critical technology infrastructure, cybersecurity resilience activates, monitoring, inspection and screening systems; security- related training for employed or volunteer security staff; and terrorism awareness training for employees. Eligible grant applicants include institutions or nonprofit organizations that have been targets of or are at risk of being targeted for hate crimes, as well as localities engaged in partnership programs with such institutions or nonprofit organizations. The Department shall establish grant guidelines to implement these provisions and shall provide a biennial or annual request for funding, based on the guidelines. For each grant requested, the application shall document the need for the grant, goals, and budget expenditure of these funds and any other sources that may be committed by institutions or nonprofit organizations to combat hate crimes. Funding provided in this item shall be awarded to the applicable locality to distribute to the grant recipient and shall not be used to supplant any other funding provided by localities to combat hate crimes. 2. The Department shall disseminate information about the opportunity to stakeholders in order to ensure awareness of the grant process and timeline for application among interested institutions and nonprofit organizations. The Department may use up to $50,000 out of the appropriation in this item for the dissemination of such information. P. Included in the appropriation for this item is $400,000 the first year and $400,000 the second year from the general fund to support the Virginia Victim Assistance Network. Q. Out of the amounts appropriated in this item, $95,000 the first year and $95,000 the second year from the general fund is provided for a contract with Impact Living Services for the Impact First Responders program in Virginia to provide education and training related to trauma, resiliency, and critical incidence stress management, as well as peer and mental health support to first responders. R. Included in the appropriation for this item is $1,200,000 the first year and $1,200,000 the second year from the general fund for a witness protection program. Subject to the development of criteria for the distribution of grants, including procedures for the application process and determination of the actual amount of any grant issued by the department, the Director shall award grants to local law enforcement agencies, Commonwealth's Attorneys' offices, and other local government agencies as appropriate to provide temporary assistance to help alleviate potential intimidation of witnesses. The purpose of the grant program is to support witnesses and their families who may be in danger because of their cooperation with the investigation and prosecution of serious 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. The department shall work with the Virginia State Police, Office of the Attorney General, Virginia Sheriffs' Association, Virginia Association of the Chiefs of Police, Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys, and other appropriate stakeholders to establish an application process for awarding grants, to include criteria and procedures to determine the amount of the grant, eligible expenses, a reasonable maximum amount for