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The Hope Card Project was developed in 2004 by John Oliveira, then a Special Agent with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Office of Law Enforcement Services, District V, in partnership with the Crow Nation of Montana. Oliveira created and patented the card's format and concept to address widespread challenges with enforcing protection orders, especially across tribal and state boundaries under the federal full faith and credit mandate (18 U.S.C. § 2265).Hope Card Project.pdf

Following its development, the project was first implemented in Montana under the leadership of Joan Eliel, a program administrator with the Montana Department of Justice, Office of Victim Services. Eliel has been credited for expanding and managing the program statewide, with the project cited as a national model for tribal-state collaboration.Congressional Record — Senate, September 22, 2016

Oliveira has described their roles by noting that he "gave birth to" the Hope Card Project, while Eliel "raised it" through implementation and outreach.

When the Hope Card was first piloted in 2004 in Billings, Montana, the original vision extended beyond simply summarizing a protection order. The card was also designed to help survivors secure immediate, practical resources when fleeing abuse. A survivor could present the Hope Card to participating partners to receive a free tank of gas, a bus ticket, or temporary lodging. Although this voucher feature was paused to refine implementation protocols, there is ongoing interest in integrating a secure debit or voucher function in future versions or as a mobile app.

The Hope Card is a durable, credit card–sized plastic card containing:

• Names and photographs of the protected party and respondent
• Birth dates and physical descriptions
• Issuing jurisdiction seal
• Issuance and expiration dates
• Unique order number
• Key protection order terms (e.g., distance restrictions, no contact, firearm prohibitions)
• Vehicle description (if applicable)
• Barcode containing all data
• 24/7 hotline number for law enforcement to verify the order
• Cited statute (18 U.S.C. § 2265) to remind officers of the obligation to enforce valid foreign protection orders

This standardization ensures that the card remains recognizable and trusted across jurisdictions, speeding up field verification by up to 80% according to program evaluations.

The Hope Card Project has expanded beyond Montana and now includes multiple U.S. states and tribal courts, as well as international pilots. As of 2025, confirmed programs include:

• Montana: Montana DOJ Hope Card{{Cite web|url=https://doj.mt.gov/victims/hope-cards/|title=Hope Cards – Montana Department of Justice|website=doj.mt.gov}}
• Idaho: Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Hope Cardhttps://sbtribes.com/hope-card-program/
• Indiana: Indiana Protection Order Resourceshttps://www.in.gov/judiciary/3862.htm
• Oregon: Oregon DOJ Hope Cardhttps://www.doj.state.or.us/crime-victims/victims-resources/domestic-violence/protection-orders/hope-card/
• Washington: Washington Courts Hope Card{{Cite web|url=https://www.courts.wa.gov/hopecard/|title=Washington Hope Card Program|website=www.courts.wa.gov}}
• Florida: Florida Clerks Hope Card Programhttps://www.flclerks.com/page/HopeCard
• New York: Nassau County Hope Card{{Cite web|url=https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFS/courts/10jd/nassau/hopecard.shtml|title=404 ERROR - N.Y. State Courts|website=www.nycourts.gov}}
• Virginia: Virginia Hope Cardhttps://www.vacourts.gov/courtadmin/aoc/djs/programs/hope_card/home.html
• Pennsylvania (Montgomery County): Montgomery County Hope Cardhttps://www.montcopa.org/3378/Hope-Card-Program
• New South Wales, Australia: Pilot implementation noted in program reports.

The Montana Office of Victim Services offers technical assistance to other jurisdictions seeking to adopt the Hope Card model.

The Hope Card Project has been recognized as a promising practice for improving enforcement of protection orders, strengthening collaboration between tribal and non-tribal law enforcement, and increasing survivor safety. It supports compliance with the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which mandates full faith and credit for valid protection orders nationwide.

• Title: Protective Order Identification Card and Method for Enforcement
• Inventor: John E. Oliveira
• Publication Number: US20110278834A1
• Date: November 17, 2011
• Link: Google Patents{{Cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US20110278834A1/en|title=Protective order identification card and method for enforcement}}

• Violence Against Women Act
• Project Passport
• Tribal court

{{cite news | last=Shay | first=Becky | title=Pioneers against violence; Hope Cards offer 'protection order without walls' | newspaper=The Billings Gazette | date=23 October 2005 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/415675871/ }}