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Agenda 03/26/2013 Item #10G3/26/2013 10.G. 1.10"1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Recommendation that the Board of County Commissioners direct the County Manager to work with the County Attorney and the Clerk of Courts to develop a tailored grants program for the benefit of the. Victims Advocacy Organizations ("VAO") in Collier county. These organizations assist victims that (in one of many worst case scenarios) may end as wards of the State. In the absence of VAOs, local government would have to make a direct contribution of local tax dollars to assist such victims. Program considerations may include but not be limited to: allowing for private matching gifts that will expand the VAO grant pool, fee based grant procurement assistance, dedicated county staffing, and a revised approach to grants administration. In addition, the County Attorney is directed to work with the Sheriffs Crimes Unit and the VAOs to bolster and /or develop local ordinances that address crimes against such victims. In combination, the proposed fiscal and legal direction will serve to help increase the aid and protection VAOs provide. The hope is that in later years similar programs can be developed for the benefit of other non - profit organizations in the county. Staff proposal to be brought back to the Board of County Commissioners for approval at the second board meeting in May, 2013. OBJECTIVE: That the Board of County Commissioners direct the County Manager to work with the County Attorney and the Clerk of Courts to develop a tailored .grants program for the benefit of the Victims Advocacy Organizations ( "VAO ") in Collier county. These organizations assist victims that (in one of many worst case scenarios) may end as wards of the State. In the 100� absence of VAOs, local government would have to make a direct contribution of local tax dollars to assist such victims. Program considerations may include but not be limited to: allowing for private matching gifts that will expand the VAO grant pool, fee based grant procurement assistance, dedicated county staffing, and a revised approach to grants administration. In addition, the County Attorney is directed to work with the Sheriff's Crimes Unit and the VAOs to bolster and/or develop local ordinances that address crimes against such victims. In combination, the proposed fiscal and legal direction will serve to help increase the aid and protection VAOs provide. The hope is that in later years similar programs can be developed for the benefit of other non -profit organizations in the county. Staff proposal to be brought back to the Board of County Commissioners for approval at the second board meeting in May, 2013. CONSIDERATIONS: VAOs provide essential services to victims of crime and dependency. In the absence of such help, in one of many possible worst case scenarios, these victims could end as wards of the State. At this time, the VAOs in Collier County identified for this program include: Drug Free Collier, The Shelter for Abused Women and Children, The Child Advocacy Center, David Lawrence Center, and Project Help. Developing an enhanced VAO Grants Assistance Program, and introducing needed victim focused criminal ordinances will serve to bolster protection and aid to these victims, in turn benefiting the community as a whole. The recommendations proposed do not result in the expenditure of local tax dollars. Rather, the recommendations will result in more State and Federal taxes coming back to the county. The program contemplates cooperation and coordination by and between the VAOs, the county's grants administration staff, and the Clerk of Court's audit staff. Recommendations to be ?00**N considered include but are not limited to: fee based county assistance in the grants selection, Packet Page -181- 3/26/2013 10.G. drafting and application process; providing a legal mechanism to allow private donations to be leveraged by the county as matching gifts to Federal and State grants for the benefit of the VAOs thus expanding eligible grant funding; assigning dedicated county staffing specialized in VAO grants administration and auditing; introducing a revised approach to VAO grants administration that will allow for expedited and streamlined reimbursement processing; *Id, developing local ordinances that will allow for prosecution of crimes related to the victims served by the VAO's, where such offenses might otherwise go unpunished. The intent is to develop this as a pilot program that (if proven successful over time) can then lead to the introduction of similar programs for the benefit of other non -profits in Collier county. FISCAL IWACT: To be determined by staff. LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: This item has been reviewed by the County Attorney, raises no legal issues at this time, and requires majority support for approval. -JAK RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of County Commissioners direct the County Manager to work with the County Attorney and the Clerk of Courts to develop a tailored grants program for the benefit of the Victims Advocacy Organizations C VAO'� in Collier County. These organizations assist victims that (in one of many worst case scenarios) may end as wards of the State. In the absence of VAOs, local government would have to make a direct contribution of local tax dollars to assist such victims. Program considerations may include but not be limited to: allowing for private matching gifts that will expand the VAO grant pool, fee based grant procurement assistance, dedicated county staffing, and a revised approach to grants administration. In addition, the County Attorney is directed to work with the Sheriffs Crimes n Unit and the VAOs to bolster and/or develop local ordinances that address crimes against such victims. In combination, the proposed fiscal and legal direction will serve to help increase the aid and protection VAOs provide. The hope is that in later years similar programs can be developed for the benefit of other non -profit organizations in the county. Staff proposal to be brought back to the Board of County Commissioners for approval at the second board meeting in May, 2013. PREPARED BY: Commissioner Georgia Hiller, Chair - District 2 Packet Page -182- COLLIER COUNTY Board of County Commissioners Item Number: 10.10.G. 3/26/2013 10.G. Item Summary: Recommendation that the Board of County Commissioners direct the County Manager to work with the County Attorney and the Clerk of Courts to develop a tailored grants program for the benefit of the Victims Advocacy Organizations ( "VAO ") in Collier county. These organizations assist victims that (in one of many worst case scenarios) may end as wards of the State. In the absence of VAOs, local government would have to make a direct contribution of local tax dollars to assist such victims. Program considerations may include but not be limited to: allowing for private matching gifts that will expand the VAO grant pool, fee based grant procurement assistance, dedicated county staffing, and a revised approach to grants administration. In addition, the County Attorney is directed to work with the Sheriff's Crimes Unit and the VAOs to bolster and /or develop local ordinances that address crimes against such victims. In combination, the proposed fiscal and legal direction will serve to help increase the aid and protection VAOs provide. The hope is that in later years similar programs can be developed for the benefit of other non - profit organizations in the county. Staff proposal to be brought back to the Board of County Commissioners for approval at the second board meeting in May, 2013. (Commissioner Hiller) Meeting Date: 3/26/2013 Prepared By Name: BrockMaryJo Title: Executive Secretary to County Manager, CMO 3/20/2013 9:29:25 AM Submitted by Title: Executive Secretary to County Manager, CMO Name: BrockMaryJo 3/20/2013 9:29:27 AM Approved By Name: OchsLeo Title: County Manager Packet Page -183- Date: 3/20/2013 11:29:37 AM Packet Page -184- 3/26/2013 10.G.