State DV/SA Grant FAQs

The NC General Statutes 143 C-6-23 defines state grants as state funds disbursed as a grant by a state agency.

Domestic Violence Grants

• Marriage License Fees-A unique funding source applicable only to Domestic Violence grantees ONLY
• Divorce Filing Fees- A unique funding source applicable only to Domestic Violence grantees ONLY

Sexual Assault Grants   

• Review the program guidelines to determine if you meet the criteria.
• The program guidelines are located on this page
• Stay tuned to our website for application information sessions
• Application process begins during January/February with information sessions
• Contact the Regional Office that serves your county for possible technical assistance
• See "Contact Us" on our page for Regional Office contact information
• Click on "Region" and notice the counties served

NC CFW state grant funds are issued on a quarterly basis based on compliance.

• 1st qtr-July, August, September: The initial 1st quarter of state grant funds are issued once the contract has been signed by all parties (grantee/DOA-NC CFW).
• 2nd qtr-October, November, December
• 3rd qtr-January, February, March
• 4th qtr-April, May, June

Eligible grantees are notified prior to the new cycle. This normally occurs before July 1st because the new cycle begins July 1st. The initial notification will not yield any grant funds. Grant funds are not issued until the "state's" budget is approved by the legislature and certified.

There are other processes involved which include the various appropriations being submitted to the state agencies. Once Department of Administration's fiscal staff receives "DOA's" budget, each "DOA" section is notified of their appropriation. This notification would include NC CFW grant staff. NC CFW grants staff will implement an assessment of the grant funds and the contract process will begin.

The contract process normally occurs during July/August. The contract process initiates the issuance of the state grant funds.

Funds appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Administration, North Carolina Council for Women, for the Sexual Assault and Rape Crisis Center Fund shall be distributed in two shares.

The North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Inc., and sexual assault or rape crisis centers whose services are confined to rape crisis or sexual assault services shall receive an equal share of thirty-five percent (35%) of the funds. Organizations whose services contain sexual assault or rape crisis services and domestic violence services or other support services shall receive an equal share of the remaining sixty-five percent (65%) of the funds. (2008-107, s. 19.1.)

• Stand Alone-Programs receive only sexual assault grant funds from NCCFW
• Dual-Programs receive sexual assault and domestic violence funds from NCCFW

Government entities are frequently asked to provide a tax-exempt number or "determination" letter to prove its status as a "tax-exempt" or charitable entity.

For example, applications for grants from a private foundation or a charitable organization generally require this information as part of the application process. In addition, donors frequently ask for this information as substantiation that the donor's contribution is tax deductible, and vendors ask for this to substantiate that the organization is exempt from sales or excise taxes. (Exemption from sales taxes is made under state law rather than Federal law.)

Visit the IRS website to affirm your tax exempt status.

The statute provides that a grantee organization is only required to submit an audit if it receives, uses, or expends greater than $750,000 in state funds. If you receive cumulative state funding at a threshold that requires an audit, it is feasible that state funds should participate in the cost of the audit in a proportional amount.

However, if your organization receives less than $500,000 in state funds, no state funds should be used for the cost of an audit. In this case, the reporting required at the state level is less than an audit; therefore, the cost of the additional reporting should not be passed on to the State.

• CFWYI defines administrative costs as expenses related to the overall function of the facility and management of the agency, rather than for the direct delivery of program services. Administrative costs associated with both CFWYI appropriated funds and receipts shall not exceed 20% of the award amount. An excess of 20% of administrative costs must be specifically approved by CFWYI based on the grantee’s written justification. CFWYI may grant approval on a case-by-case basis in its discretion.
• Grantee management expenses that can be directly tied to grant-related activities, and that have supporting documentation, may be allowable. For example, if a grantee's Executive Director spends 25% of their time on grant-related activities such as providing supervision to other staff, and their timesheet reflects that 25% of their time is dedicated to these activities, the personnel cost related to such activity is acceptable.

Examples of administrative costs include but are not limited to:

1.  
   1. Legal/accounting/financial services.
   2. Office management and general office supplies.
   3. Publication and distribution of an annual report.
   4. Salary, FICA, and fringe benefit expenses for non-direct service staff time (e.g., grant writing/compliance reporting, board meeting preparation, monthly financial reconciliations).
   5. A percentage of rent and utilities not associated with program delivery.

• When assessing expenses to be charged to line items in the approved budget, recipients should ask whether the expense is associated with carrying out direct services of the program. If the answer is no, then the expense may qualify as an administrative cost.

• The request will allow funds to be transferred from one line item to another line item. 
• The request is based on the "actual" budget submitted with the contract.
• Transfer of funds can only occur if a line item exists. 
• "New" line items cannot be created with a budget transfer request. 

• The grantee should submit the budget transfer request to the assigned Region Director
• The Region Director will review the budget transfer request and approve the budget transfer request
• The Region Director will submit the approved budget transfer request to the Grants Administrator for approval

This action will require a new contract process. 

NC CFW monthly expenditure reports can be found on this page.

Initial reporting is not required until contract has been processed and initial 1st quarter payment has been issued.

ALL accounting records shall be supported by source documentation, such as canceled checks, paid bills, payrolls, time and attendance records, contract and sub-grant award documents, etc.

All equipment must be tagged with a fixed asset label and records have to be maintained for at least five years. The equipment purchase should be recorded on the monthly expenditure report associated with the grant. There is a section designated on the monthly expenditure report for equipment inventory purposes.

The funding agency is responsible for monitoring fiscal compliance. As part of that responsibility, the reports should be reviewed to ensure that the funds were properly accounted for and reported; that the nongovernmental entities receiving, using, or expending $750,000 or more in state funds did receive an audit as required; that findings reported in the audit reports that effect their programs are resolved; and, if a single audit is required, that an audit in accordance with OMB Circular A-133 was obtained.

The funding agency should perform these procedures, consider whether sub grantee audits necessitate adjustments to its records and resolve the reported findings within six months after the audit report is received by the funding agency. Additional guidance for the review of sub grantee audits is provided in OMB Circular A-133 under section "Federal Agencies and Pass-Through Entities".

The required reports should be treated as accounting records and subject to the record retention requirements of the funding agency. At a minimum, the reports should be maintained on file for three years from the date received.

Records shall be kept for at least five years. 

Funds that have been issued during previous completed funding cycles are posted at the end of the grant cycle. They are located on the CFWYI Grants page.