Funding to benefit programs that provide direct services to victims of violent crime

FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 6, 2024) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear and Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Keith Jackson announced that applications will be available starting March 11 for $750,000 in grant funding to support victims of crime in the commonwealth.

“Throughout my time in public office, I have fought for victims and worked to provide necessary resources, and I will never stop fighting for hope, healing and justice," said Gov. Beshear. “This additional funding allows us to help even more Kentuckians in some of their darkest times, giving them a helping hand when they need it most."

Nationwide decreases in the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) have caused states across the nation, including Kentucky, to experience reductions in funding. To supplement this reduced funding, the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet's state fiscal year 2024 budget includes $750,000 from the State Fiscal Recovery Fund of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). This provides additional funding for programs that focus on crime reduction or directly assist crime victims in the commonwealth.

The purpose of VOCA is to allow agencies and organizations to provide resources to victims of violent crime across the country. Anyone who has suffered physical, sexual, financial or emotional harm as the result of the commission of a crime is eligible to receive VOCA-supported assistance services. The services are meant to provide a helping hand to victims, allowing them to take back and rebuild their lives, providing stabilization while helping them navigate the criminal justice system and feel a sense of safety and security.

This $750,000 APRA funding comes after the Governor announced more than $27 million in VOCA and ARPA funding in August of last year.

“Victims of crime deserve every resource available to them to heal and obtain justice, and they deserve to know that Team Kentucky will fight for and stand with them," Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Keith Jackson said. “There is hope for victims of crime in Kentucky, and the cabinet will continue to find ways to increase funding opportunities so that hope and healing remain available in the commonwealth."

Use of the funds must be compliant with and eligible under the ARPA Final Rule. Not all activities eligible under federal VOCA guidelines may be eligible under ARPA guidelines. If awarded, these ARPA funds should be treated as an individual grant, separate from any subaward of VOCA or ARPA funding previously awarded from the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet. If an organization receives both a VOCA subaward and an additional ARPA subaward, they should keep records that clearly distinguish which funds have been requested and obligated for all reimbursable activities. Information on eligible activities and materials for reference will be provided in the application.

All applications must be submitted online via Intelligrants 10.0 (IGX), the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet's electronic grants management system. New applicants will be required to establish an account and become familiar with the system well in advance of the due date. Applicants should also note that validating a new user account requires 48 to 72 hours.

Applicants must also possess a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) from the federal System for Award Management at sam.gov in order to be eligible to receive an award. Applications are due by April 5 at 6 p.m. EDT, and awards are expected to be announced in May. Assistance with the application process may be obtained by contacting grants management staff at JUSIGX@ky.gov.

The Beshear-Coleman administration has awarded more than $131 million in grant funding to victim service agencies across the commonwealth.

In Nov., the Governor furthered his commitment to public safety by awarding $2,233,948 to 32 organizations across the commonwealth that work to combat domestic violence as well as support and seek justice for survivors.

To improve outcomes for survivors, the Beshear-Coleman Administration has joined other state agencies to partner with the CSG Justice Center to obtain quality, accurate data to help end domestic violence and enhance the safety of every community in the commonwealth. This is the council's largest statewide domestic violence data project. The group will analyze domestic violence data and then make policy recommendations to improve services and prevent victimization. This project is expected to be completed by the end of 2024 at no cost to Kentuckians.

In June, Gov. Beshear and Secretary of State Michael Adams celebrated Senate Bill 79 becoming law. The bipartisan effort created the Safe at Home Program, which will protect the residential addresses of survivors of domestic violence and other sexual crimes as well as the addresses of those who reside in the same household as the victim. To gain this protection, the victim or the individual residing in the victim's home must apply to the secretary of state's office to have the address protected.

In April, the Governor signed Senate Bill 282, which doubled the weekly amount available for crime victims for lost wages to $300 per week from $150 per week; increased the amount available for funeral expenses to $7,500 from $5,000; and increased the overall total award available to $30,000 from $25,000.

On March 27, Gov. Beshear signed into law three bills to protect all Kentuckians from heinous crimes, such as incest, as well as protect children against those who have committed these crimes.

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