Board approves $195,000 grant to fund crime victim advocate program

The governing board voted to accept a Border Crime Control grant totaling $195,000 over two years to fund the county’s crime victim advocate program. The board took the vote after staff described the grant as a routine, recurring award that would support victim advocates’ work.

Staff said the grant is administered through the state Board of Crime Control and combines state and federal money. “It’s a standard grant. We’ve gotten it for many years,” a staff member said. The presenter said the application included goals and a budget and that one target in the proposal was serving 150 clients per quarter, adding, “Two of my advocates will work with a 150 clients per quarter.”

A separate staff speaker described the grant application process, saying awards are competitive and that applicants who score 60% or higher are eligible for funding. The presenter said the county’s application scored well. “It’s pending right now, but signs look like it’s gonna come through for the full amount,” the staff member said.

Board members asked procedural questions during the discussion; staff clarified that accepting this grant came forward as an action item because it arrived after the consent agenda had been finalized. After brief discussion there was a voice vote: the chair called for all in favor and “Aye” was recorded, concluding the approval.

The board did not record a roll-call tally in the portion of the transcript provided. The presenters identified program-level targets and scoring criteria but did not state the names of the individual advocates who would be funded or provide a detailed line-item budget in the meeting record.

The grant’s state administering agency is the Board of Crime Control; staff described the grant as combining federal and state funds. The board’s acceptance authorizes staff to proceed with the program under the terms of the award, subject to any conditions the granting agency might impose.