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Iowa Domestic Abuse & Sexual Abuse Funds

Eligibility
Purpose 
Allowable Services and Costs

Unallowable Costs
Reporting Requirements
Match Requirements
Contract Period

 

These funds are appropriated annually by the Iowa Legislature. 100% of these funds are distributed to programs providing victim services.

Eligibility

Programs must be operated by a public or non-profit agency, or a combination of such agencies. Programs providing services to victims of domestic abuse must have the capacity to provide or arrange safe shelter for domestic abuse victims and their children. Programs providing services to sexual abuse victims must have the capacity to provide in-person support to victims at the time of a sexual abuse evidentiary examination. 

These programs include, but are not limited to: 

  • Sexual abuse and rape crisis centers,
  • Domestic abuse comprehensive programs,
  • Domestic abuse comprehensive shelters,
  • Survivors of homicide and other violent crime, comprehensive programs and; 
  • Victim service statewide hotlines
  • Other community-based victim coalitions

Purpose

Funding is intended to support domestic abuse comprehensive, sexual abuse comprehensive, survivors of homicide and other violent crime programs to provide services to victims implementing the new model of services as outlined in Iowa’s Strategic Funding & Service Plan. Funds are equitably distributed to Iowa’s urban and rural areas based on a formula. 

Allowable Services and Costs

  1. Personnel (salary/benefits) to support advocates who provide direct services to respond to the physical and emotional needs of victims of crime, as well as to supervise individuals providing direct services and to carry out other program needs.
  2. Transportation costs to provide services to victims in their communities, to transport victims for safety or service needs, or to attend trainings/conferences/meetings.
  3. Operational costs of a facility such as a shelter, however if the project is supported with funds from other sources as well, i.e. VOCA, HUD or FVPSA, the rent and operational expenses must be prorated among the different funding sources. If an agency owns a shelter, the agency may not charge rent to the grant for the use of the shelter; however, related expenses such as utilities, maintenance/repairs and building security may be charged to the grant.
  4. Community Outreach to support, inform, and provide outreach to victims about available services. For example, a shelter could distribute brochures listing the signs of domestic violence, describing the services available, and providing a hotline number to access the services. Initiatives designed to reach victims, rather than raise awareness generally, may be supported with State SA/DA funds.
  5. Food purchases for shelter residents, clients being relocated, or for clients in other situations as deemed necessary by the program. If food is purchased with state funds because federal funds prohibit the purchase of food (except in emergency situations-i.e. relocating victim, etc.), you cannot use this purchase as match to your federal grant. 
  6. Provide services to incarcerated victims but only to address any victimization experienced by the incarcerated individual, including both crimes experienced while incarcerated and crimes experienced at other points in their youth and adult lives.
  7. Financial Assistance to Clients to aid in their health, safety, security or stabilization due to victimization. Examples of client assistance include, but are not limited to, relocation costs (commercial transportation, utilities, etc.), transportation costs (bus tokens, cab fare, etc.), school supplies for children, equipment needed to return to work, household needs, etc. All expenses must be supported by itemized receipts. Cash and prepaid debit/credit cards may only be provided to clients in rare circumstances and must be documented and justified by the program with approval from CVAD. 
  8. Equipment & Supplies necessary to provide quality services to victims, or outreach to other individuals and organizations. Equipment and supplies can include, but are not limited to, laptops, cell phones, tablets, desk top computers, fax machines, copiers, cell phones, hot spots, projectors, etc. 
  9. Housing Assistance; to cover a victim’s rent, mortgage, deposit, utilities, hotel/motel costs, lot rent and any other costs associated with obtaining safety and stabilization in a living arrangement. Housing assistance also includes safe, confidential shelter services.
  10. Contractual Services such as the pro-rated monthly or annual costs for maintenance and upkeep of the program, IT support, accounting services, audit costs, cell phone service agreements, etc.
  11. Meaningful access; agencies are encouraged to allocate funds to support activities that help to ensure individuals with disabilities, Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals and persons with limited English proficiency have meaningful, full access to their services. For example, grant funds can be used to support American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter services, language interpretation and translation services, or the purchase of adaptive equipment. Applicants proposing to use grant funds to create websites, videos and other materials must ensure they are accessible to persons with disabilities and grant funds must be allocated for these purposes.
  12. Directors, Officers and Managers (DOM) Insurance premiums are allowable.
  13. School programs; outreach to students, administrators, counselors and educators about victimization and available services. 
  14. Civil Legal Assistance to support civil legal assistance and advocacy services including legal information and resources, custodial and divorce arrangements stemming from the victimization, housing advocacy, representation at campus hearings, immigration needs and any other legal needs stemming from the victimization. CVAD will not allow funds to be used for legal expenses related to criminal representation or tort cases. 
  15. Co-location of services such as Substance Abuse Programs, Mental Health Programs, Trauma Recovery Centers and other services provided to victims. 
  16. Prevention is allowed for the salary, benefits and related costs up to 20% of one FTE per service type (SA, DA, Homicide/other Violent Crimes). 
  17. Fundraising is allowed for the salary, benefits and related costs up to 20% of one FTE per CVAD funded agency. 
  18. Match; state DA/SA funds are allowable for the purposes of match on federal grant awards. CVAD encourages programs to diversify funding sources to ensure long-term sustainability so a program should demonstrate efforts of other cash and in-kind support for the CVAD funded program. Attention should be paid to match eligibility requirements for each federal fund source allocated to the program. State funds cannot be used as match for your federal grant if the expense is unallowable for that specific fund source under federal guidelines. 
  19. Specialized services to historically marginalized and underserved populations. CVAD maintains a commitment to ensuring access to survivors from all levels of ability, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, culture, age, socioeconomic status, geographic location, gender and any other traditionally un/underserved populations across the State of Iowa, regardless of citizenship status, language spoken, or other personal characteristics.
  20. Volunteer training and coordination
  21. 24-hour crisis line services
  22. Counseling services provided in a safe and confidential location. 
  23. Support Groups for at least two individuals engaged in therapeutic communication. These include both traditional and non-traditional (gardening group, book club, running group, etc.) options.
  24. Education about Victim Compensation can be provided to victims to ensure the victim understands how to apply and benefits available to ease out of pocket expenses due to the crime.
  25. Coordinated Community Response (CCR). Funds can be used to pay for the salary and benefits of an individual(s), to provide a coordinated community response to a type(s) of victimization(s). This could be a CCR team such as a Domestic Abuse Response Team, Sexual Abuse Response Team, etc. Other allowable duties include, but are not limited to creating protocols, MOU templates and facilitating meetings. Other related costs such as program materials, supplies, travel to meetings and to carry out other duties surrounding service coordination are eligible with these funds.
  26. Mental Health & Substance Abuse Treatment. Funds can be used to pay for therapy and/or substance abuse treatment directly related to the victimization.
  27. Outreach, Training & Technical Assistance. Funds can be used to train advocates, related professionals, the general public and others to deliver services, to educate others, or to enhance service provision.
  28. Public Service Campaign, Marketing, Advertising. Funds can be used to create outreach materials such as brochures and posters, television or radio ads, social media ads, billboard ads and other reasonable methods to bring awareness and attention to the dynamics of victimization and/or the services offered by the program.

Unallowable Costs

The following costs are ineligible with state DA and SA funds:

  • Bonuses for staff
  • Food and beverages for staff events including but not limited to staff meetings, agency trainings, local workgroups or task forces, etc. (Food IS an allowable expense for clients experiencing food insecurity due to the victimization, or to ensure services can be received by the client; Food for staff while at a conference/training requiring an overnight stay, is also allowable) 
  • Overtime without prior approval from CVAD
  • Cash & prepaid debit/credit cards  (except in rare circumstances with approval from CVAD)
  • Legal services for criminal defense, or in tort cases 
  • Capital expenses; construction
  • Fundraising beyond 20% of one FTE, per agency
  • Agency late fees, fines and penalties (late fees, fines and penalties paid on behalf of a victim to aid in their health, safety, sustainability, and/or self-sufficiency  related to victimization, are allowed)

Reporting Requirements

The Project Director is responsible for timely submission of completed program and fiscal reports. Please see Chapter IX-Reporting Requirements for specific information. 

NOTE: The Program is required to gather and maintain statistical data relating to grant project activities as required by CVAD. During desk audits, on-site monitoring, performance report audits and any other time at CVAD’s discretion, CVAD may request to see the back-up data that supports the information submitted on your reports. CVAD will never request to see any confidential client information.

Match Requirements

There is no match requirement for Iowa Domestic Abuse and/or Iowa Sexual Abuse funds.

Contract Period

Subrecipient subawards will be issued annually for every year of the three-year application period.

The majority of the contracts are issued for a 12-month period beginning October 1, and ending September 30 of the following year. The subaward will include the amount of funds awarded for that year. During a multi-year award cycle, a contract is issued annually. 

Each grantee must be in compliance with state and federal rules and in good standing with the Victim Services Support Program (VSS) requirements and procedures to receive funding in the second and third years of the cycle. The amount available to designated programs in the second and third year of the cycle will be based on the State and Federal funds available.

For more information on CVAD Contracts with subrecipients, please see Chapter II. Post-Award Requirements, CVAD Contracts.

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