34 U.S.C. § 12225
Award of grants
The Attorney General shall consider the following facts in awarding grants:
(1)
Demonstrated need and evidence of the ability to provide the services described in the plan required under section 12223 of this title .
(2)
The Attorney General shall attempt, to the extent practicable, to achieve an equitable geographic distribution of grant awards.
( Pub. L. 103–322, title III, § 31705 , Sept. 13, 1994 , 108 Stat. 1891 .)