July 2007

In This Issue

• Fiscal Year 2008 Federal Budget
• Federal Funding Opportunity
• Private Foundation Funding

Fiscal Year 2008 Federal Budget

Congressional Democrats are on a mission to restore their image as the "do something" party after the war supplemental bill (PL 110-28) and FY 2008 budget resolution consumed a large portion of the current session. The House and Senate have made a lot of progress in June and July with appropriations bills, with the goal of having most, if not all, of the measures passed by the committees by the August recess. September is seen as the time they will hold conferences on the funding measures and get them to the President's desk before the beginning of the fiscal year. However, the President has promised to veto the appropriations bills if they include increased federal spending.

Many of the appropriations bills that include programs of interest to civil legal services providers have been approved by both the full House and Senate Appropriations Committees. The amounts thus far in FY 2008 budget process are as follows.

• Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

  Community Development Block Grant (CDBG): The Senate Committee recommends maintaining funding at the FY 2007 level of $3.77 billion. The House Committee recommends increasing the account to $4 billion, a $228,000,000 increase over FY 2007. The House members point out their proposal is still $400 million below the FY 2001 total. The Bush Administration believes that the CDBG program needs to be reformed, and requested only $3 billion.

  Housing Counseling: The Senate Committee provides $150,000,000 for Housing Counseling, $108,420,000 more than the FY 2007 level. Within the amount provided, the Senate recommends that $100,000,000 should be exclusively targeted to individuals and families who are currently in foreclosure or are facing the immediate prospect of losing their homes through foreclosure, or to individuals and families who may need to modify or refinance their loan to prevent the possibility of foreclosure. The Committee directs HUD to issue a Notice of Funding Availability for these funds within 60 days of enactment.

  The House Committee recommends level funding for Housing Counseling at $41,580,000.

  Fair Housing Initiatives Programs: The Senate Committee provides $25,000,000 for FHIP, an almost $5,000,000 increase over FY 2007. The House Committee recommends $20,180,000, the same level as FY 2007.

  Homeless Assistance Programs: The Senate Committee recommends an appropriation of $1.59 billion for FY 2008, $144,390,000 more than the FY 2007 level. The House Committee recommends funding homeless programs at $1.56 billion, an increase of $119,390,000 above the enacted level for FY 2007. Both appropriations bills retain current rules requiring 30 percent of grant dollars go to permanent shelter projects and that there be a 25 percent match requirement for social services.

  Housing for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA): Both the House and Senate Committees recommend an appropriation of $300,100,000, which is $13,990,000 more than the FY 2007 enacted.

  Rural Housing and Economic Development: Once again, Congress rejects the Bush Administration’s recommendation to eliminate funding for this program. The Senate Committee recommends an appropriation of $17,000,000, $170,000 more than FY 2007. The House Committee recommends $16,830,000, the same as the enacted level for FY 2007.

• Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women

  Both the House and Senate Committees reject the administration’s proposal to create a consolidated, competitive grant program for the programs authorized in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

  STOP Violence Against Women Grant Program: The House Committee recommends an increase to $205,000,000. The Senate Committee recommends level funding at $186,500,000.

  Legal Assistance for Victims (LAV) Grant Program: The Senate Committee would increase funding to $46,000,000. The House Committee recommends $40,000,000 for LAV.

  Rural Domestic Violence Program: Both Committees recommend essentially level funding, the Senate at $39,500,000 and the House at $40,000,000.

  Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies: These grants now include support for the Family Justice Centers. The House Committee recommends an increase to $63,000,000. The Senate Committee includes $55,000,000 for the program.

• Department of Health and Human Services

  This appropriations bill has been passed by the full House of Representatives, but still awaits action on the Senate floor after passing out of Committee.

  Community Services Block Grant (CSBG): The Administration believes this program should be ended and did not request funding for this program in FY 2008. The Senate Committee recommends $670,425,000 for CSBG, which is $40,000,000 above the FY 2007 funding level. The House provides $660,425,000, a $30,000,000 increase over FY 2007.

  Administration on Aging (AoA): The House recommends $357,595,000 for AoA supportive services, $7,000,000 above the FY 2007 level. The Senate Committee recommends the same level as FY 2007, $350,595,000.

  Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI): The Senate Committee recommends $39,000,000 for the program, which is $5,000,000 above the FY 2007 level. The House recommends a small increase in funding to $35,000,000.

  Ryan White AIDS Act: The House provides $2.24 billion, a $99,291,000 increase over the FY 2007 level and the maximum authorized level. The Senate Committee provides $2.17 billion, a $33,124,000 increase over FY 2007.

Federal Funding Opportunity

• FY 2007 Crime Victims' Rights Enforcement Project
  http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=14578
  Deadline: July 30, 2007
  

  The Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) will use funding from FY 2007 to support clinics that provide legal counsel and support services for victims in criminal cases for the enforcement of crime victims’ rights in federal, state, and tribal jurisdictions; or organizations that provide training and technical assistance to such clinics. This is a competitive program that will grant ten awards of up to $200,000 each. Organizations may use the funding to provide legal representation to victims of crime in an effort to enforce victims’ rights under the Crime Victims Rights Act (CVRA); technical assistance, training, and support to legal clinics that provide victim services; and education and training on the CVRA.

  For more information about the requirements of this program, contact Meg Morrow at (202) 305-2986 or Meg.Morrow@usdoj.gov.

Private Foundation Funding

Regional Grants



• Community Catalyst, Hospital Accountability Project
  http://www.communitycatalyst.org/projects?id=0009
  Deadline: August 31, 2007; the deadline for applicant registration is August 17, 2007
  

  Community Catalyst is pleased to announce the launch of the Hospital Accountability Project: When Health Insurance Falls Short. This new Project is aimed at improving health access and reducing medical debt for low- and moderate-income underinsured individuals and families. Using funds from the settlement of a class action lawsuit over hospital billing practices, the Hospital Accountability Project will provide sub-grants to advocate-led collaboratives in the following fifteen states:

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Indiana
  • Massachusetts
  • Mississippi
  • North Carolina
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas

  These collaboratives will undertake a range of policy and organizing activities to benefit the underinsured in their states. In general, each collaborative will address systemic problems for the underinsured by supporting policy changes that improve programs and practices. These could include particular hospitals' practices as well as public policies. Sub-grants range from $65,000 to $680,000, depending on the state.

  Community Catalyst will hold one web conference call for potential applicant collaboratives on Wednesday, August 8, 2007 from 2–3:30 p.m. ET. This call will provide information on the program goals, assistance with the application process and an opportunity for applicants to ask questions. Participation in the web conference call is not mandatory, but is highly encouraged.

• Network for Good
  http://www.fundraising123.org/nfgkellogg.pdf
  

  Following Hurricane Katrina, the W.L. Kellogg Foundation provided Network for Good a grant for the benefit of nonprofits in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The grant has been extended to include Florida, so that nonprofits in these six states are eligible for free DonateNow online fundraising, EmailNow email marketing, and training for one year — a $1200 value.

  For more information, contact Jono Smith, senior manager for Nonprofit Marketing at Network for Good, at (240) 482-3211 or jono.smith@networkforgood.org.