DC Council hears OVSJG performance overview as grantees warn of funding uncertainty

The Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety reconvened on Jan. 29, 2025, to begin performance oversight of the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG), Chairwoman Brooke Pinto said, noting the hearing would combine public witness testimony with questions for agency leadership.

“OVSJG's mission is to develop, fund, and coordinate programs that improve public safety, enhance the administration of justice, and create systems of care for crime victims, youth, and their families in the district,” Director Jennifer L. Porter told the committee when she opened her summary of FY24 activity.

The hearing covered OVSJG’s portfolio of grant-funded programs — victim services, reentry supports, juvenile-justice planning and the Address Confidentiality Program — and probed how the office is managing grants, monitoring outcomes and preparing for possible federal funding changes. Porter told the committee OVSJG administered 147 awards in FY24 and served as State Administering Agency for 11 federal programs. She also highlighted implementation of a new grants-management platform, GovGrants, which she said has improved processing and grantee collaboration.

Grantees who testified in panels across the morning and afternoon described the same operational pressures in different program areas: higher caseloads after the pandemic, increased complexity among clients, and the need for predictable local funding. Legal-service providers, housing and shelter operators, domestic-violence advocates and reentry coalitions all emphasized demand that in many cases has remained at or above pandemic-era levels.

Several witnesses addressed recent federal-level developments. Pinto noted concern about a White House order to freeze federal grant funding and said federal judges had temporarily stayed the order. Domestic-violence coalition witnesses and shelter operators testified that a national pause or reduction in federal funds would immediately endanger services.

Committee members asked OVSJG about prioritization when resources are constrained. Porter said the agency’s “community-based funding model” prioritizes continuity for existing grantees while leaving room for competitive awards for new programming and capacity building. She described peer reviewers and state-planning processes used to align RFAs with community-identified needs.

On grant administration, witnesses and several council members praised the new GovGrants system. Jessica Harris, OVSJG administrative officer, told the committee the platform provides budget and performance dashboards for grantees and allows more transparent, two-way communications between agency and providers. Several nonprofit witnesses said training and technical assistance on the new system improved invoice and reporting timeliness.

The hearing closed with repeated appeals from providers for clearer baseline funding and contingency planning in case federal sources tighten. Director Porter said the office was coordinating with the mayor’s team and other city agencies to “braid” federal and local resources and to minimize disruptions for survivors and returning citizens. The committee recessed with plans for follow‑up questions and requests for additional data from OVSJG.