Crime Victim Services (CVS) Connections- April 2024

Colorado Division of Criminal Justice sent this bulletin at 04/04/2024 09:00 AM MDT

The Office for Victims Programs

CVS Connections

April 2024 Monthly Newsletter

Updates & Guidance

CVS Grantees’ Quarterly Reports & Payment Requests Due Soon!

CVS grantees' and State VALE grantees' Financial Report & Payment Request (for expenses incurred from January-March 2024) as well as the CVS2 Narrative Report, PMT Report (VOCA grantees only), & ARPA/General Fund Data Report (JotForm) are due Monday April 15th, 2024.

Please reference the TA Folders by Funding Source and report specific links below for more information & resources to assist you in completing these reports.

TA Resources for Grantees - ARPA
- Quarter 5 Reports due April 15th
TA Resources for Grantees - General Fund
- Quarter 5 Reports due April 15th
TA Resources for Grantees - SASP
- Quarter 5 Reports due April 15th
TA Resources for Grantees - State VALE
- Quarter 3 Reports due April 15th
TA Resources for Grantees - VAWA
- VAWA Quarter 5 Reports due April 15th
- VAWA Special Funding Quarter 1 Reports due April 15th
TA Resources for Grantees - VOCA
- Quarter 5 Reports due April 15th

Report Specific Resources:

CVS2 Quarterly Report - Narrative Form Mini-Training
ARPA/ General Fund Data Report Mini-Training
Financial Post Award Training Slides (Includes information on completing the financial report & payment request)

Important Reminders

Current grantees will be contacted in June to discuss their CY25 1-year extension budgets.
Grantees should notify their GPM of any contact information changes.

TA Spotlight

Pro-rating: In the January newsletter, we shared this How to Prorate Reporting Data video. Thanks to the folks at Utah's Office for Victims of Crime we now have this PMT Proration Tool to share with you as well. Given that all of your data reports should be prorated, this is also a great tool for other CVS funding data reports. If you still have questions about prorating data, reach out to us at cvsgrants@state.co.us.
Timesheets: Timesheets are an important part of your financial supporting documentation. Timesheet requirements as well as a Sample Biweekly Timesheet and Sample Monthly Timesheet are available to assist you.

Crime Victims Fund Update

We continue to work in partnership with the three state victim services coalitions to find solutions to stabilize Victim Service Funding. One such effort is the Coalitions' work on HB24-1349 - The Firearms and Ammunitions Excise Tax Bill that was heard in the Finance Committee on April 1st.

VOCA Funding Factsheets by Colorado County and Statewide

In an effort to illustrate how VOCA cuts might impact various programs and counties within the state, the OVP staff have created one page factsheets that provide data on the current programs funded by county, the number of victims served, the number of services provided, and the top three reported victimizations. There is also an information sheet for those agencies that provide statewide services. The information sheets and an article on Understanding VOCA Funding can be found on the Division of Criminal Justice website and the Office for Victims programs website. If you have any questions regarding these projected reductions or the information sheets you can contact OVP staff at cvsgrants@state.co.us.

Grantee Resources

Additional funding opportunities

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) and The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) have numerous funding opportunities with final application deadlines in April and May. You can view their opportunities at OVW FY 2024 Open Solicitations and OVC FY24 Current Funding Opportunities. The Department of Justice Grants Program Plan is another tool for identifying funding opportunities.
OVC is offering funding to print and disseminate the OVC Child Victims and Witnesses Support Materials. Apply for the Funding Opportunity: Promote the OVC Child Victims and Witnesses Support Materials by April 30th.
The National Center for Victims of Crime is accepting applications for its Peer-to-Peer Program(P2P). This funding opportunity is aimed at establishing or enhancing peer to peer support programs for victims of crime. They’ll be holding a pre-application webinar on April 15th.

Professional development:

The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has announced the availability of Professional Development Scholarships. Applications are being processed in the order in which they are received.
The National Organization for Victim Advocacy (NOVA) is hosting their 3rd annual Career Development Fair in June. This is an opportunity to learn more about positions in the field of victim advocacy and crisis response.

Free Tools

The iMPRoVE (Measures for Providers Responding to Victimization Experiences) platform is a free outcome measurement tool. The platform has built in data collection and visualization tools. Learn more on the iMPRoVE platform website.

Auto Theft Assistance Program

Did you know that there is a resource for victims of auto theft? The Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority (CATPA) has an auto theft and catalytic converter theft assistance program. The program also offers prevention resources. Click the link to their website or scan the QR code to access the application.

Announcements & Highlights

Welcome Aly!

Aly Gideon joins CDPS as Grants Monitor in the Office for Victims Programs. Before joining, she worked as the Program Evaluation and Grant Writing Manager at Harrison School District 2. Previously, she served as the Senior Grants Manager at Pathways to Housing in Washington, DC. Aly has written proposals totaling over $4,000,000 and has experience in grant compliance, project management, and program evaluation. Her experience at Hope House domestic violence shelter in Kansas City helped inspire her to become a fierce advocate for survivors. Aly earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Chapman University and her Master of Social Work from the University of Kansas. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, exploring colorful Colorado with her dog, and any kind of trivia.

Congratulations Bimal!

Bimal Poudel, who has been on the Office for Victims Programs team as a Grants Compliance Monitor, moved into the position of Grants Financial Manager on April 1st. Bimal is excited about continuing to collaborate with the agencies providing direct victim services, ensuring that our grant funds are effectively allocated to support their important work.