Vermont victims’ services director warns of funding shortfalls, outlines program priorities to Senate Judiciary

Jan. 15 — Jennifer Pullman, executive director of the Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services, told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that the agency is facing sustained funding pressure and outlined several program priorities for the 2025 legislative session.

Pullman described the center as “a quasi state agency” that is established in statute but whose staff are not state employees. She said the center administers direct services and grants across the state, including victim compensation, a sexual‑assault funding program, restitution services and more than 200 grant awards to local providers.

“The center is a really odd agency,” Pullman said. “We are a quasi state agency. We’re designated in statute as a state agency, but we are not state employees.”

Why it matters: Pullman told the committee that revenue streams that support victim services have declined for years and face new federal reductions. The center expects the largest federal grant it administers — funds from the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) — to shrink by about 40% this year, and several ARPA‑funded grants that currently support local programs will end. Pullman said those cuts threaten network partners and local services across Vermont.

Programs and services

• Victim compensation: Pullman said the center’s victim compensation program is designed to be victim‑centered and requires only a law‑enforcement affidavit…