The director of the Family Justice Center told the Nampa City Council on April 16 that demand for victim services has increased while grant funding that supports advocates and specialized services has become less certain, forcing the center to plan program reductions even as it seeks alternate support from local donors and partners.

The director summarized the center’s mission as “to promote the safety, self sufficiency, hope and healing, for those that are affected by abuse.” She reported that the center averaged roughly 875 client visits per month in 2024 and has experienced a 46.4% increase in client visits since 2020. She described the increase in demand as a sign that community members are seeking help and emphasized that the center’s work provides outcomes law enforcement and partners rely on.

Funding structure and risks: staff said the Family Justice Center receives about 63% of its budget from grants, 22% from the city and 15% from the foundation and donations. Staff told the council they recently brought in roughly $500,000 in grant awards and about $210,000 from other sources in the prior year, but cautioned that some federal solicitations have been paused or reduced. The center’s elder-abuse grant expires in 2025 and the director said that loss will force the end of one grant-funded position unless new funds are secured. The director and grant manager both said they are pursuing additional grants and leaning on foundation and community donors to fill gaps.

Services and partnerships: staff highlighted services the center provides at no cost to the city’s general fund for specific functions — for example, funding and coordinating sexual-assault nurse examiner (SANE) exams and forensic interviews for child victims using grant dollars so law enforcement and the city are not billed for those services. The director said about 40% of referrals to the center come from law enforcement agencies; of those, roughly 61% originate from the Nampa Police Department.

Geographic scope and county asks: the center said it serves victims across Canyon County but that about 70% of clients are from the city of Nampa and about 19% come from other parts of the county. Staff told council members they have repeatedly asked the Canyon County commissioners for financial support but have not received county funding; councilmembers offered to accompany center staff to future county budget hearings to advocate for shared funding.

Ending: staff asked the council to note the growth in demand and the grant funding uncertainty; they said they are not seeking additional city funds at this time but will continue pursuing grants, foundation support and community donations and will return with budget updates as needed.