A new report from Everytown for Gun Safety finds that state-level rules are blocking many survivors of gun violence from accessing federal compensation funds designed to help them cover medical bills, lost wages, and funeral costs — and Montana residents are subject to the same systemic barriers identified nationwide.

Nearly 30 percent of victim compensation applications were denied nationally in 2024, according to federal data from the Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime. Incomplete paperwork is the most common reason for denial, but the Everytown report also identified strict eligibility rules, short filing deadlines, and requirements that crimes be reported to law enforcement as significant obstacles. That last requirement can be particularly burdensome for survivors who fear retaliation or distrust the criminal justice system.

State-run crime victim compensation programs draw the bulk of their funding from the federal Victims of Crime Act, known as VOCA. The programs are intended as a financial backstop for the tens of thousands of people who survive shootings each year in the United States, many of whom face lasting physical injuries and long-term financial strain.

While the report is national in scope, it arrives as federal lawmakers are also examining victim compensation policy. How Montana structures its own application process and eligibility rules will determine whether local survivors can actually reach the support those federal dollars are meant to provide.