In-State Travel for Conferences/Trainings
Registration Fees
Mileage Rate
Vehicle Expenses
Meal Rate
Lodging
Other Miscellaneous Expenses
If in state travel expenses are included in a program’s approved budget, programs do not need to ask prior permission to attend in state conferences, trainings, workshops or meetings as long as they align with victim services programming.
If in-state travel expenses are not included in a program’s budget, the program will need to request a budget revision to travel in state. More information about budget revisions is detailed in Chapter 19.
Mandatory trainings, workshops, meetings or conferences and coalition meetings are allowable travel expenses and should be considered when completing program budgets especially if victim services funds are to pay for those expenses.
Registration fees
Registration fees are allowable expenses.
Registration fees for a conference or training may be paid by the individual, or by the agency. A paid receipt must be furnished for reimbursement, if applicable. If no receipt is available, a printed copy of the registration form or electronic registration acknowledgement, matched with a copy of the canceled check (front and back) or credit card receipt with appropriate information on the credit card statement, will be accepted.
A copy of the registration form and the agenda, including information about any meal(s) provided, must be attached to the Out-of-State Travel and In-State Travel Form when applicable
Mileage
Staff may request mileage reimbursement through either the Staff Mileage Payment Form or the Out-State Travel and In-State Travel Form .
The Staff Mileage Payment Form is an appropriate form to use for grant staff who travel on a regular basis. Staff complete this form when requesting reimbursement for mileage only.
Other travel expenses, should be submitted on the Out-of-State Travel and In-State Travel Form.
Victim Assistance will reimburse mileage at the state rate in effect when the travel was taken. If the state rate changes, you will be notified of the rate change and the effective date of the change. Travel taken prior to a rate change must be paid at the old rate.
Agencies may lease vehicles; however, Victim Assistance will only reimburse mileage for allowable grant activities. No expenses related to the cost of leasing vehicles will be reimbursed. Travel must be tracked on the appropriate forms and can be reimbursed at the state rate.
Vehicle Expenses
Victim Assistance will not reimburse for gas, maintenance, insurance or other expenses associated with an agency or employee owned or leased vehicle. Victim Assistance can reimburse mileage for agency or employee owned vehicles as long as the expenses are for allowable grant activities. Victim Assistance will pay the state rate in effect at the time of travel. Employees are to complete the Staff Mileage Payment Form or Out-of-State Travel and In-State Travel Form for mileage reimbursement. An agency owned or leased vehicle must complete the Vehicle Mileage Form . These forms will be submitted with claim reimbursement as required by the risk designation.
If a subrecipient chooses to rent a vehicle, Victim Assistance will reimburse the lesser of rental car fees and costs of gas, or mileage at the current state rate. Receipts for gas must be included with the expense reimbursement claim form, as required by the risk designation.
Example:
Event-Conference attendance.
Rent a vehicle for $100/day + $50 gas = $150
Round trip mileage-200 miles. Mileage reimbursement would have been 200 x .39/mile = $78.
The program would only be eligible for $78 in reimbursement costs, as the rental car is not more cost effective.
Meal Reimbursement
All meals being claimed for reimbursement must have:
- an itemized receipt if the meal was before July 5, 2024
- show the location of the meal (city/state)
- name of the restaurant
- date and time of meal.
Effective July 5, 2024, meal receipts are not required.
See the meal FAQ regarding per diem and the elimination of receipts effective July 5, 2024.
The following applies to travel taken before July 5, 2024.
Use the meal reimbursement form to show dates of travel that could be affected by the change to per diem. Employees should complete a Meal Reimbursement Form that reflects actual meal receipt amounts before scanning, in order to have it correspond with your travel forms.
A charge card receipt that does not show the itemized food, drink and tax will not be accepted.
If an itemized receipt does not have the name or location of the restaurant, the traveler completing the Out-of-State Travel and In-State Travel Form must write on the receipt the name of the restaurant, location (city and state), date and time of meal and then sign (not initial) the itemized receipt.
If the copy of the itemized receipt is unreadable, the meal expense will be removed from the claim.
Tips are allowable with state and federal funds. Tips are allowable for no more than 15% of the food bill, up to the maximum allowed for reimbursement. The tip is to be calculated on the sub-total of eligible food and drink before the tax has been applied.
Staff will be reimbursed for meals only if they incur an overnight stay while performing their job duties.
- If meals are included in conferences fees or registration fees those expenses will be not reimbursed.
Please note in-service training for staff and volunteers do not count for reimbursement.
Breakfast will only be reimbursed if the traveler departs before 6:00 a.m. on the date of travel. Dinner will only be reimbursed if the traveler returns after 7:00 pm. To obtain updated meal reimbursement rates for in-state travel go to the Iowa Department of Administrative Services website.
No alcohol expenses will be reimbursed.
Lodging
Subrecipients will receive reimbursement for the actual costs of reasonable lodging accommodations, plus tax, not to exceed the out of state city levels. Lodging receipts must show a zero balance. In addition, the lodging receipts/invoices must show the itemized expenses for each night of the travelers stay.
Subrecipients will not be reimbursed for lodging or other travel expenses unless these items are associated with:
- Attendance at the Statewide Coalition meetings as long as your home is not in the county hosting the meeting,
- Overnight travel, and/or
- Attendance at a full or multi-day conference or training.
Exceptions to these rules must be approved in advance by your grant coordinator.
Lodging expenses for conferences or training held within your agency’s county will not be reimbursed.
Other Miscellaneous Expenses
Original receipts must be attached to the Out-of-State Travel and In-State Travel Form to receive reimbursement for other miscellaneous expenses, if applicable. Certain miscellaneous expenses are allowable such as airfare, parking, bus, cab, shuttle, luggage fee, registration and tolls.
Other miscellaneous items may be reimbursed if they are reasonable and appropriate, with adequate documentation.
