Transitional Housing Assistance Grant Program

This project was supported by Grant No. 2017-TA-AX-K059 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

Transitional Housing Summer 2020 Training Handout

We are the experts on progress reporting so you don’t have to be!

Who We Are

Ø Our Mission ¡ Support OVW in tracking and

measuring the work of VAWA grantees¡ Provide technical assistance

to VAWA grantees

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Today’s Training Agenda

2:00-2:30pm ¡ Review progress reporting guidance related to COVID-19¡ Answer questions

2:30-3:45pm ¡ Review resources available for additional instruction ¡ Learn how to respond to questions on the most frequently

reported sections of the semi-annual progress reporting form

3:45-4:00pm ¡ “Q&A” portion of the webinar

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COVID-19 General Reporting Guidance

Ø The progress report due date remains July 30, 2020¡ Use narrative questions to discuss the impact of COVID-19

on grant supported activities

¡ Use question 43 to discuss issues with data collection

Ø If you are unable to collect data for the report¡ Do not estimate¡ Any numbers reported should have adequate source

documentation ¡ Use narrative fields to explain missing data or activities

you are unable to quantify right now

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COVID-19 General Reporting Guidance (Continued)

Ø Do not use a future period’s progress report to report activities that took place in January to June 2020¡ Contact your OVW Program Specialist if data becomes

available after you submitted the Jan-June 2020 report

Ø Tips for validating the progress report if a data field should be blank but is giving a validation warning¡ Enter “1” in any field which cannot remain blank ¡ Then use question 43 to explain “We entered 1 in question 20

in order to validate the form. The number should be deleted.”

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COVID-19 Reporting Guidance for Narrative Questions

Ø Include words like “COVID-19” and “pandemic” when describing COVID-19 related adjustments to programing or when explaining incomplete or missing data¡ Use Question 39 to explain how the pandemic has impacted

the status of your grant goals and objectives¡ Speak to any no cost-extensions or other delayed or revised

activities that have been approved by your program specialist

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Reporting Guidance for Policy Changes Related to COVID-19

Ø For policy changes that have been implemented as a result of the pandemic ¡ Use Section C3 Policies to describe the policy changes in

narrative question 19

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COVID-19 Reporting Guidance for Victim Services Data

Ø If you are experiencing data collection challenges related to victim services information¡ Report missing demographic information in the “unknown”

categories ¡ Use the narrative fields to explain missing data and data

collection challenges

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COVID-19 Resources

Ø Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) guidance for grantees

https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-and-faqs-grantees#covid

Ø Futures Without Violence resource listhttps://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/get-updates-information-covid-19/

Ø TA2TA COVID-19 resource hubhttps://www.ta2ta.org/resources-and-information-on-covid-19-response.html

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VAWA MEI COVID-19 Resources

Ø VAWA MEI COVID-19 FAQs and Contact Us Form § https://www.vawamei.org/tools-resources/faqs/category/covid-19-faqs/

§ https://www.vawamei.org/contact-us/

Ø Reporting in a Pandemic “Office Hours” recording§ https://www.vawamei.org/tools-resource/reporting-in-a-pandemic-

training-video/

Ø Crafting Narratives Webinar Video & Narrative Examples§ https://www.vawamei.org/tools-resource/crafting-narratives-training-

video/

§ https://www.vawamei.org/tools-resource/examples-of-grantee-narrative-data/

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Any questions?

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www.vawamei.org

Ø Ask a question through our “Contact Us” form Ø Watch a closed captioned recording of the entire progress

report training, section by sectionØ Download all the training materials from todayØ Download the new FTE Calculator Ø Download the sample progress reporting form and

instructionsØ Access FAQsØ View summary data reports and the Report to Congress

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Data Reporting Request from OVW

Ø OVW is looking to gather more information on what grantees find helpful or unhelpful in the training and technical assistance that is offered to them.

Ø OVW is encouraging grantees to use the additional information narrative question (question 42) to discuss the OVW-sponsored training and technical assistance they have received.

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Data Reporting Request from OVW

Example questions you might answer:

Ø Did you go to an OVW-funded training and bring back some policies or concrete practices?

Ø Did you learn something new and useful from an OVW-funded webinar?

Ø Did you get help from an OVW-funded TA provider to navigate a challenging issue in your community?

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Why Your Data Matters!

Ø Your data directly communicates to OVW about the work you are doing and your successes and challenges

Ø Grantee data helps shed light on the scope of domestic and sexual violence – including trends, promising practices, and areas of need

Ø Grantee data contributes to performance measurement and is used for special data requests and the Attorney General’s Reports to Congress

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Section A1: Grant Information

Ø All grantees must fill out this section § The form will not validate if this section is not filled out

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Section A2: Program Description

Ø Section A2 – Yes or No§ Were Transitional Housing Program funds used to support

housing units?

Ø The answer to the above question will determine whether to answer questions 21, 25, and questions 31-35!

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Section A2: Program Description

Ø Section A2 - When to respond “No”§ Were Transitional Housing Program funds used to support

housing units? Check No & skip to A3¡ Answer no because OVW Transitional Housing grant funds were

only used to provide support to survivors who are in a Transitional Housing unit that are funded by another agency or by another funding source¡ Do not fill out Questions 21, 25, or 31-35 (those questions are

only applicable to grantees that use grant funds to pay for units reported in Section A2).

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Section A2: Program Description

Ø Section A2 – When to respond “Yes”§ Were Transitional Housing Program funds used to support

housing units? Check Yes & Answer question 9§ Fill out Questions 21, 25, and 31-35 as applicable

¡ Q. 21. Not served due to lack of available housing ¡ Q. 25 Nights of shelter ¡ (If you reported program-rented or program-owned units in Question 9)

¡ Q. 26 Rent subsidy/vouchers row ¡ (If you reported vouchers/rent subsidy units in Question 9)

¡ Q. 31-33 Exited from housing ¡ Q. 34-35 Terminated from housing

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Section A2: Program Description

Ø Question 9§ Report the type and number of housing units funded

Ø Definitions§ Program-owned: the T-Housing Program rents and is

responsible for the housing unit(s)§ Program-rented: the T-Housing Program rents the housing

unit(s) and sublets the unit(s) to program participants§ Vouchers/rent subsidies: the T-Housing Program provides

victims with rent vouchers, or assists with rent payments, that are used to make payment to a third party owned unit(s)

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Type and number of housing units funded: Example 1 (Answer “No” to A2)

Your program uses OVW Transitional Housing funds to pay for a case manager that provides supportive services to victims/survivors who are in Transitional Housing units.Your program uses a different funding stream to provide victims with Transitional Housing units.

In this case, you will respond “No” to Section A2 and skip to Section A3. You will NOT answer questions 21, 25, and 31-35.

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Type and number of housing units funded: Example 2 (Answer “Yes” to A2, program owned)

Your program houses victims in a 3 unit building owned by your program. Your program uses OVW Transitional Housing funds to pay for the utilities in all three units, as well as to support staff and general maintenance.

In this case, you will respond “Yes” to Section A2 and answer q.9 under the column “program-owned”. You will also respond to questions 21, 25, and 31-35 as appropriate.

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Type and number of housing units funded: Example 3 (Answer “Yes” to A2, program rented)

Your program rents from area landlords to house victims and their families in 5 separate buildings. Your program uses OVW Transitional Housing funds to pay rent directly to the landlords for all units, and then sublets the units to victims/ survivors. (Typically, the program’s name would be on the lease).

In this case, you will respond “yes” to Section A2 and answer q.9 under the column “program-rented”. You will also respond to questions 21, 25, and 31-35 as appropriate.

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Type and number of housing units funded: Example 4 (Answer “Yes” to A2, voucher/rent subsidies)

Your program uses OVW Transitional Housing funds to provide vouchers directly to 8 victims and their families, and those 8 victims use these vouchers to support housing that they rent from area landlords. (Typically, the victims name would be on the lease).

In this case, you will respond “yes” to Section A2 and answer q.9 under the column “vouchers/rent subsidies”. You will also respond to questions 21, 26, and 31-35 as appropriate.

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Section A2: Program Description

Question 10§ Report the number and type of housing units

supported with grant funds that are accessible to people with disabilities

§ The total number of units reported here should not exceed the total units reported in q.9

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Section A3: Staff Information

Ø Funded under the Transitional Housing grant § Only report FTEs for staff whose salary is provided, fully or

partially, by Transitional Housing funds (including staff time of contracted work)

Ø Report by activity performed rather than job title§ If staff members fall into 2 or more categories, divide FTEs

among applicable categories

Ø Report to the second decimal (i.e. 1.00 FTE)

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Section A3: Staff Information

Ø Time should be pro-rated if necessary§ Such as when someone is part-time, was hired partway

through the grant period, is a contractor, or is full-time but only partially funded by T-Housing program funds

Ø Use of “Other” category § Be specific and correlate each entry with FTE amount § Do no report “consultant” or “intern” in other since those

do not describe the function of the position

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A3 Staff: Calculating FTEs Guide

Calculations: based on 40 hours per week for 26 weeks or 1040 working hours in a six-month reporting period

1.0 = (40 hrs/week, 1040 hrs/six months [40 hrs X 26 wks]).50 = (20 hrs/week, 520 hrs/six months) .40 = (16 hrs/week, 416 hrs/six months) .25 = (10 hrs/week, 260 hrs/six months) .10 = (4 hrs/week, 104 hrs/six months)

FTE = hours worked in the 6 month reporting period, divided by 1040

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Staff Example #1

Your program uses the OVW Transitional Housing grant to fund one full-time case manager whose salary is 75% funded by the grant and another full-time case manager whose salary is 15% funded by the grant. What FTE would you report?

A. .90 FTEB. 1.50 FTEC. 2.00 FTE

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Staff Example #1 Answer

Remember: Report only grant-funded staff time

In this case, you would report only Transitional Housing program funded personnel time. The correct FTE value would be:

0.90 FTE (.75 + .15) for “Case Manager”

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Staff Example #2

Your program uses the OVW Transitional Housing grant tofund a full-time program coordinator who spends 26 hours per week coordinating program activities, and 14 hours per week providing victim advocacy. What FTE(s) would you report?

A. 1.00 FTE Program Coordinator B. .65 FTE Program Coordinator and .35 FTE Victim AdvocateC. .50 FTE Program Coordinator and .50 FTE Victim Advocate

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Staff Example #2 Answer

Remember: Report by job function, not title

In this case, you would divide staff time by function. The correct FTE values would be:

0.65 FTE (26hrs/40hrs) for “Program Coordinator”and 0.35 FTE (14hrs/40hrs) for “Victim Advocate”

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Staff Example #3

Pro-rate FTEs for staff who work only part of the reporting period

Your program uses the OVW Transitional Housing grant tohire a full-time legal advocate. This legal advocate was hired 2 months into the reporting period.

In this case, you would need to pro-rate the FTE to reflect four months worked out of the six-month reporting period. The correct FTE value would be: 0.67 FTE (4 months /6 months) for “Legal advocate”

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Staff Example #4

Convert funding used for contractors or consultants

Your program uses the OVW Transitional Housing grant tocontract with a local translator. The grant paid for 65 hours of translation services.

In this case, you would need to convert this contracted time into FTEs. The correct FTE value would be: 0.06 FTE (65 hours /1,040 hours) for “Translator/Interpreter”

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Common Staff Reporting Discrepancies

Ø High numbers of FTEs in a single category Ø Staff are not prorated by job function¡For example: A staff member who facilitates trainings

is only reported under the Program Coordinator FTE to match their job title. A more appropriate breakdown between Training/educator and Program Coordinator would represent both of their job functions.

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Common Staff Reporting Discrepancies

Ø FTEs have not been prorated by hire date and/or receipt of funds

¡For example, the narrative states that a full-time employee was only employed for 2 months but was reported as 1.00 FTE

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Most of the data requested in this section is congressionally mandated ¡ Congress wants to know how many of the victims/survivors

seeking services were served and how many could not be served

Ø Provide information in this section that represents only those victims/survivors served and services provided with Transitional Housing Program funding ¡ Report victims/survivors as well as their children and/or

other dependents

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 20: Number of victims/survivors seeking grant-funded services

¡ Served: received all requested services that are provided by Transitional Housing funds

¡ Partially served: received some but not all requested services that are provided by Transitional Housing funds

¡Not served: received none of the requested services that are provided by Transitional Housing funds

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Section D: Victim Services – When to Not Report a Victim/Survivor

Ø A victim/survivor would not be reported in this section if the victim/survivor. . .

¡ Is seeking only services that are not funded with your Transitional Housing program grant¡ Did not accept any of the grant-funded services that were

offered or recommended¡ Is not a primary victims of domestic violence, dating

violence, stalking, or sexual assault

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 20 continued ¡Victims reported as served, not served or partially

served are an unduplicated count and should be reported only once in each reporting period they receive grant-funded services

¡Children and other dependents are also an unduplicated count and should be reported only once in each period

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 21 number of victims not or partially served solely due to lack of housing

¡Only answer this question if you answered Yes to Section A2 and reported data in q.9

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 22 reasons partially served or not served ¡Check off all that apply if you reported any

victims/survivors as partially served or not served in q.20

Ø Common reporting errors in “other” ¡Victims did not return¡Victim refused services¡Services not provided by our program¡Could not locate victim

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Victim Services Example #1

A victim in your transitional housing program requested court accompaniment twice during the reporting period. A grant-funded legal advocate provided this survivor with court accompaniment both times that grant-funded service was requested.

In this case, the survivor will be reported as served. Additionally, although this person received the grant-funded service multiple times over the course of the reporting period, you will still count them only once in q.20 (because q.20 is an unduplicated count of individual people).

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Victim Services Example #2

A victim living in a transitional housing unit requested your agency’s grant-funded job training and crisis intervention services. Crisis intervention was provided, but the Transitional Services Advocate had a full case load and your program was unable to provide job training.

In this case, report this victim as partially served because you were only able to provide some the requested grant-funded services. You will also check off “program reached capacity” as the reason for partial service in q.22.

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Victim Services Example #3

Your program used Transitional Housing funds to rent 3 apartments to house victims. A mom with 2 children requested housing services, but the apartment was full and you were unable to provide the requested housing during the reporting period. How would you report this survivor?

In this case, report this victim and 2 children as “not served” because you were not able to provide the grant-funded housing. You will also report the victim and children in q.21 because they were not served solely due to lack of available housing. In q.22, also check off “program reached capacity” as the reason for being not-served.

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Victim Services Example #4

Your agency offers T-housing grant-funded group and individual counseling services. A survivor of sexual assault comes to your office and requests transportation and child care, which you are able to provide through other funding. How would you report this survivor? A. ServedB. Partially servedC. Not servedD. Not reported

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Victim Services Example #4 Answer

Since the survivor did not request Transitional Housing grant-funded services, (they only requested services

that your agency provides using other funding sources), you will not report the individual in q.20.

Even though you provided the services requested, they were not provided with Transitional Housing grant

funds and will not be include on the report.

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 23 demographics¡ Victims, children, and other dependents may be reported in

more than one “race/ethnicity” category ¡ Total race/ethnicity will be equal to or greater than the total

served and partially served (q.20A&B)¡ Victims, children, and other dependents can only each be

reported once in the “age” and “gender” categories ¡ Total age and gender will both be equal to the total served

and partially served (q.20A&B)

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 24 victim relationship to offender¡ Report the victim’s relationship to the offender(s) ¡ If a victim/survivor experienced more than one type of

victimization and/or was victimized by more than one perpetrator, report in all categories that apply. The total relationships may exceed the sum of all victims/survivors.

¡ The total victims/survivors reported should be equal to or higher than the total of q.20A&B

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 25 transitional housing nights of shelter¡ You will complete this question only if you check “YES” for

Section A2 and answered that you have Program-Owned or Program-Rented hosing in q.9¡ Bed nights is an unduplicated count. Each victim, child, or

other dependent should be multiplied by the number of nights stayed¡We do not expect to see more than 182 bed nights per

person, per period. (There are approximately 182 nights in a 6 month period)

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 26 housing assistance¡ You will report the total costs for each type of assistance, the

number of victims receiving the that type of assistance, and the total number of months the GRANT-FUNDED service was received

¡ Answer the “rent subsidy voucher” row only if you responded “YES” to Section A2 and you listed housing units under the “rent subsidy/voucher” category

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 26 housing assistance (continued)¡ Do not include mortgage payments in q.26. There is not a

question on the form to report mortgage payments of program-owned units.

¡ Do not report funds used on support services here (i.e. transportation, child care, education, etc.)

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 28 support services ¡ Report only the grant-funded services provided to victims,

children, and other dependents reported in q.20A&B

¡ Report an unduplicated count of victims, children, and other dependents in each unique service

¡ Report the number who received a particular service, not the number of times a particular service was provided

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 28 support services (continued)¡ The total in any individual service category should not be

greater than q.20A&B (served and partially served)

¡ Do not report safety planning, information, or referrals¡ OVW expects that all programs provide these basic services

and they do not need to be reported

¡ Do not report intakes – this a procedure, not a service

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 30 vouchers for support services¡ Check the types of vouchers given to victims for support

services¡ Do not report donations here, this question is asking for

grant-funded vouchers only.

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Questions 31 – 35¡ Respond to these questions only if you answered “YES” to

Section A2 and reported data in q.9

¡ If you did not answer “YES” to section A2 and report data in q. 9 you will skip ahead to q.36

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 31 destination upon exit¡ Report the number of victims that reached the maximum

time in the program or that no longer required or desired services¡ This number should reflect the number of victims that exited

your program¡ Do not report victims who are currently residing in housing units¡ Victims who were terminated from the program should NOT

be reported here. They will be reported in a later question

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 32 perception of risk of violence upon exit¡ Only record perceptions of risk of violence for the victims

that exited transitional housing and were reported in q.31

¡ Total responses should equal the total number of victims reported in q.31

¡ Do not report for terminated victims

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 33 length of stay/exited¡ Report the length of stay for victims reported as exiting

under q.31

¡ The total responses for q.33 should equal the total number of victims reported as exiting under q.31

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 34 reason for termination and destination upon termination ¡ Report the number of victims that were terminated from

transitional housing funded housing ¡ Do not report victims that were terminated from housing that

was not funded by Transitional Housing program funds¡ Report the destination of victims and the reason for terminationØ Question 35¡ Report the length of stay for victims reported as terminated

under q.34.¡ The total responses should equal the total number of victims

terminated under q.34

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Section D: Victim Services

Ø Question 36 & 37 follow up services¡ Report all follow-up support services provided with grant

funds after victims exit or are terminated from transitional housing

¡ A victim, child, or other dependent may be counted only once under each type of service event if they received that service more than once during the current reporting period

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Section E: Narrative

Ø All grantees must fill out Questions 39 every time you report and Questions 40 & 41 annually on the January to June reporting form

Ø Questions 42 & 43 are optional ¡ Use q. 43 to provide any additional information about the

submitted data, such as if you submitted two different reports for the same period or you need to provide “dummy data” in a section in order to validate

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Validating Your Form

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Who do I call for help?

Ø If you have Grants Management Information System (GMS) technological, web-based questions

OVW GMS (available during business hours) 1-866-655-4482OVW.GMSSupport@usdoj.gov

Ø If you only need password assistance OJP GMS (8am-12am) 1-888-549-9901GMS.HelpDesk@usdoj.gov

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Who do I call for help?

Ø If you need to verify grant-supported activitiesØ If you need approval for products Ø Cannot submit your progress report by the deadline

Please contact your OVW Grant Specialist!

Office on Violence Against Women 202-307-6026https://www.justice.gov/ovw

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Who do I call for help?

Ø If you have questions on the content of the reporting form

Ø If you would like to receive technical assistance directly from staff via email or phone

VAWA Measuring Effectiveness Initiative1-800-922-VAWA (8292)vawamei@maine.eduwww.vawamei.org

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www.vawamei.org

Ø Ask a question through our “Contact Us” form Ø Watch a closed captioned recording of the entire progress

report training, section by sectionØ Download all the training materials from todayØ Download the new FTE Calculator Ø Download the sample progress reporting form and

instructionsØ Access FAQsØ View summary data reports and the Report to Congress

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Q&A

Your turn!

To ask a question please use the Chat Box or press *6 on your telephone to mute/un-mute

your phone to speak

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Thank you!

VAWA MEI ¡ 1-800-922-VAWA (8292) ¡ Email: vawamei@maine.edu

Casey Benner¡ 207-228-8562¡ Email: casey.benner@maine.edu

Andrew Ferris¡ 207-780-5850¡ Email: andrew.ferris@maine.edu

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