CJD – VOCA Supplemental Funding

Date: December 23, 2008

A few weeks ago the Criminal Justice Division (CJD) announced that we would be extending your current VOCA grant by two months allowing your agency to continue to obligate and be reimbursed for expenses through 8/31/09 as the program transitions to a new funding cycle of 9/1 – 8/31 in FY 2010. CJD’s decision to transition the VOCA grants to this new cycle was based on many factors including:

  • During the past two funding cycles, local award announcements were delayed as the state awaited receipt of its federal award from the Department of Justice. The result was a gap in funding that negatively impacted many programs. Moving the start date for VOCA grants to September 1st of each year creates an allowance for federal delays.
  • CJD will pool the resources of VOCA and VAWA this year creating a streamlined review and prioritization process for victim services applicants where COG funding recommendations are based on community priorities and not hindered by complicated federal requirements. This could only be accomplished with the programs on the same grant cycle.
  • Eliminating duplicative applications between the VOCA and VAWA funding streams and competition between the fund sources.

The FY 2008 VOCA grant programs (those ending 6/30/08) have all now passed their liquidation date and CJD has recouped funds from those agencies who were not able to spend their full FY 2008 grant award. As a result, CJD is able to re-award these funds to qualifying FY 2009 VOCA grantees to assist with personnel expenses during July and August 2009. With a limited amount of funding available, CJD reviewed grantee spending patterns within the Personnel budget category (as reported to CJD in the Financial Status Reports) between the months of July and November 2008 to determine which agencies may be eligible for additional funds.

The sum of each grantee’s budgeted personnel costs was divided by 12 months to determine each agency’s baseline monthly personnel costs. The baseline was then multiplied by the number of months that have elapsed between the start date and the most recent Financial Status Report (FSR) to determine the expected personnel expenses between July and the date of the most recent FSR. The expected expenses were then compared to the agency’s actual reported expenses. When reported expenses were less than the expected expenses, a potential “personnel reserve” exists.

Agencies whose “personnel reserve” was not large enough to cover the cost of two months of salaries at the baseline rate may be eligible to request additional funds. CJD determined eligibility by subtracting the agency’s “personnel reserve” from the costs of two months of salaries at the baseline rate. Agencies qualify for additional funds if the results show that the “personnel reserve” is more than $5,000 short of covering the costs of two months of salaries.

Finally, based upon the total amount available, CJD is able to offer qualifying agencies up to 60% of the qualifying dollar amount. See example below.

Agency ABC qualifies for an additional $6,200:

  • Agency ABC budgeted a total of $100,000 in personnel costs between July 2008 and June 2009.
  • Baseline monthly personnel costs for ABC are $8,333.33 ($100,000 / 12 months = $8,333.33.)
  • Expected personnel expenses between July and October 2008 for ABC are $33,333.32 ($8,333.33 X 4 months = $33,333.32)
  • Reported personnel expenses between July and October 2008 for ABC are $27,000 (as reported on eGrants FSRs)
  • “Personnel reserve” for ABC is $13,333.32 ($33,333.32 - $27,000 = $6,333.32)
  • Qualifying amount is $10,333.34 in additional funds (($8,333.33 X 2 months) - $6,333.32 = $10,333.34)
  • Eligible to receive $6,200 to offset personnel costs during the months of July and August 2009 ($10,333.34 X 60% = $6,200)

Note: Grantees who qualified for additional funding were contacted by email.

CJD Notice VOCA Supplemental FundingPage 1 of 2Issue Date: 1/18/2019