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The Mayor and City Council shall hear and possibly take action to provide consent to submit three grant applications to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Victims of Crime Act, Crime Victim Assistance grant in a total amount $155,000 for the Maricopa Family Advocacy Center.There is twenty percent (cash or in-kind) match of the total cost of the project or $31,000. Match for this project is available through volunteered services, victim assistance activities, materials and equipment in the general fund, and awarded grants which are not federal funds.(10022123, 10022122 and 22022122).Consent to submit an application provides the City Manager to sign all documents necessary to complete the grant process. Discussion and Action.
AGENDA ITEM DESCRIPTION
The Arizona Department of Public Safety, Victims of Crime Act, Crime Victim Assistance grant supports and promotes quality services for crime victims partnering with local agencies throughout Arizona that perform the essential work of victim assistance. The provision of rights and mandated services outlined in the Arizona’s Constitution and the Victims’ Rights Act provide the beginning of a foundation of important services to crime victims. There is approximately $44 million available per federal fiscal year in Arizona and $132 million total for the grant cycle. The award period for this application is October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2020.
Matching contributions of 20 percent are required for each VOCA project and must be derived from non-federal sources. All funds designated as match are restricted to the same uses as the VOCA assistance grant funds and must be expended within the grant period. In-kind match may include donations of volunteer professional services, materials and equipment, space and facilities and non-VOCA funded victim assistance activities.
With this project the Maricopa Police Department is requesting funding for the Maricopa Family Advocacy Center for vehicles in year one and year three (funding through grant) to provide emergency transportation to victims and families. Additional expenses include registration and travel costs for training conferences, emergency assistance to help families, printing costs for brochures, public awareness, and a prorated portion of the rent for the victim services staff at the center.
The match will be provided through the volunteer time and response to assist victims of crime and through the items already budgeted in the general fund, and through grant funds which are not federal funds. The annual match amount required is $12,315.53. In the first year this will be met through the Ak-Chin Indian Community State Shared Revenue Fund awarded. In year two and three the match will be met using volunteer staff time which includes interns, RICO funds as needed and the project partners funds provided through the agreement with the City of Maricopa.
In Fiscal Year 16-17 the Victim Assistance Program had 767 contacts with victims providing 4,110 services which include but are not limited to crisis intervention, on scene crisis response, transportation, referrals to services, notification of criminal justice events, information on victim rights, information on the criminal justice system, accompaniment to forensic exams and assisting with orders of protection.
If awarded the grant runs on the federal fiscal year from October 2017 through September 2020. When the grant ends the if eligible the Maricopa Police Department plans to apply for the grant again to fund the future needs of the Advocacy Center. The intention is not to have any future impact to the General fund.
This item will be presented by Steve Stahl, Police Chief and Mary Witkofski, Community Programs Manager.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Mayor and City Council take action to provide consent to submit three grant applications to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Victims of Crime Act, Crime Victim Assistance grant in a total amount $155,000 for the Maricopa Family Advocacy Center.There is twenty percent (cash or in-kind) match of the total cost of the project or $31,000. Match for this project is available through volunteered services, victim assistance activities, materials and equipment in the general fund, and awarded grants which are not federal funds.(10022123, 10022122 and 22022122).Consent to submit an application provides the City Manager to sign all documents necessary to complete the grant process.