Chapter 4 Allowable and Unallowable Costs

This chapter serves as a guide to help grantees and grant staff understand the allowability of costs applicable to victim services grants and where to find additional information about costs not listed. All costs charged to federal and state grants must be allowable, allocable, reasonable and consistently applied. Every expense charged to a grant can be audited and therefore no expense should be charged to a grant without sufficient justification and backup documentation.

The overarching rules regarding the allowability and restrictions of all federal funding is provided in the Federal Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.  

Each federal department has its own financial and programmatic requirements. Iowa’s victim services grants are supported by grants (VOCA, STOP VAWA and SASP) from the U.S. Department of Justice, which follows the rules and regulations of the DOJ Financial Guide and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (FVPSA) which follow the terms and conditions of HHS grants.

Each federal grant program has its own authorizing legislation, programmatic rules and unallowable costs and activities. Click on the links below for specific grant funded rules.

VOCA (Victims of Crime Act)

STOP VAWA (STOP Violence Against Women)

SASP (Sexual Assault Service Program)

FVPSA (Family Violence Prevention Services Act)

The state of Iowa, Victim Assistance Section can impose more restrictive uses of funding.