Explanation
Background:
This legislation authorizes the City of Columbus to accept and appropriate two federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) subawards from the Franklin County Board of Commissioners Office of Justice Policy and Programs to the City Attorney’s Office. Grant awards support specialized prosecution and victim advocacy services for survivors of domestic violence and stalking. Award dollars fund 1) a portion of salary expenses for two specially trained domestic violence prosecutors, 2) total compensation for one specially trained stalking victim advocate, 3) registration fees for professional development, and 4) contract fees for interpretation and translation services.
The Columbus City Attorney’s Domestic Violence & Stalking Prosecution Unit provides best-practice prosecution services for victims of misdemeanor domestic violence and stalking offenses. The unit is staffed by six highly trained and experienced domestic violence prosecutors, twenty victim advocates, one stalking investigator and one stalking victim advocate.
The unit’s services are modeled on the National Domestic Violence Prosecution Best Practice Guide developed by the National District Attorneys Association. These services are designed to promote victim safety and empowerment, increase victim engagement in the criminal justice processes, reduce recantation and strengthen collaboration among community partners and law enforcement agencies.
This ordinance authorizes the acceptance and appropriation of grant funds to support these services.
Fiscal Impact: VAWA subawards require a 25% city cash match. The cash match ($63,241.51) is tracked by the CAO fiscal team with records of expenses maintained in grant files.
|
Award # |
Award |
Match |
|
25-WF-VA2-8758 |
$107,499.00 |
$35,833.30 |
|
25-WF-VA2-4600 |
$84,186.00 |
$28,062.00 |
|
2025 VAWA total |
$191,685.00 |
$63,895.30 |
Emergency Action:
Executed grant contracts from the Franklin County Board of Commissioners were delayed, therefore emergency action is requested to ensure timely reimbursement for grant supported services provided year to date.
Title
To authorize the City Attorney to accept federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) subawards 25- WF-VA2-8758 and 25-WF-VA2-4600 from the Franklin County Board of Commissioners Office of Justice Policy and Programs in the amount of $191,685.00 to support domestic violence and stalking prosecution and victim advocacy services; to authorize grant expenditures and the appropriation of $191,685.00 in the general government grant fund; and to declare an emergency. ($191,685.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners' Office of Justice Policy and Programs has awarded the Columbus City Attorney's Office grant funding in the amount of $191,685.00 to support domestic violence prosecution and stalking victim advocacy services; and
WHEREAS, the term of grant funding is for the period January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026; and
WHEREAS, the grant award requires a city cash match of 25% ($63,895.30) to be tracked and documented in grant file; and
WHEREAS, the City Attorney desires to accept said grant award; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the City Attorney's Office because these award contracts support direct services to victims of violent crime for the period January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026; however, the fully executed subaward agreements were not returned to the City by the County until June 1, 2026. Therefore, an emergency exists to immediately authorize the City Attorney to accept the awards and appropriate the grant funds so that the Department may seek reimbursement for eligible services provided year to date, thereby ensuring the continued availability supportive services for victims of violent crime, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; and now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS, OHIO
SECTION 1. That the City Attorney is hereby authorized to accept Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) sub awards 25- WF-VA2-8758 and 25-WF-VA2-4600 from the Franklin County Board of Commissioners' Office of Justice Policy and Programs in the amount of $191,685.00 to support domestic violence and stalking prosecution and victim advocacy services.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies in the General Government Grants Fund number 2220, and from all monies estimated to come into said Fund from any and all sources during the grant period, the sum of $191,685.00 is hereby appropriated to the Columbus City Attorney, Department 24 according to the attached accounting document.
SECTION 3. That funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 4. That funds appropriated shall be paid upon order of the City Attorney and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 5. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That at the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 7. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this Ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.