VOCA

Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Funding Cuts

Now is the time to invest in measures to support survivors of violent crime.

Field of yellow flowers and a blue sky

What is VOCA?

VOCA provides federal funds to support vital victim services in our community. The Crime Victims Fund was created in 1984 through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and is funded by federal crime fines and forfeitures, not taxpayer money. VOCA supports grants for crime victim assistance in all states. States then distribute subgrants to organizations helping victims.

Why are these cuts happening now?

Unfortunately, recent years have seen a significant drop in money going into the Crime Victims Fund because there are fewer federal fines and fees being imposed.

Two hands texting on a cell phone.

What will be the impact on Lumina Alliance?

Lumina Alliance faces $500k- $800k in cuts to our funding, or between 10- 15% of our annual budget, significantly impacting ALL areas of direct client services:

1. 24-Hour Crisis Line

A reduction in the hours of the crisis line for the first time in our 45-year history, with the discontinuation of 24/7 support. Increased wait times for crisis support services.

2. Emergency Shelter & Transitional Housing

Potentially closing emergency shelter and transitional housing units. Decreased capacity to offer shelter leaving victims without a safety net when escaping violence.

3. Therapy Waitlist

A surge in therapy waitlists, causing delays in survivors’ healing and recovery journeys, compounding trauma, and placing added strain on other government and community mental health services. Our waitlist is currently at 100 survivors, and we anticipate it quickly doubling or tripling with a reduction in therapy staff.

4. Position & Program Elimination

Some positions and programs that are fully funded by VOCA will no longer be funded such as the law enforcement liaison, client financial assistance program, and children’s services.

What is Lumina Alliance doing to mitigate the impact?

1. Emergency Support Fund

We’ve created a special fund and are asking our community to help fill any funding gap by making a donation today. This is a unique opportunity to immediately support the urgent needs of survivors in a period of unprecedented uncertainty.

2. Reaching out to Legislators

Lumina Alliance Administrators and Board of Directors are working with state coalitions and advocating with legislators to prioritize victims services in the state budget.

3. Educating the Community

We’re keeping our community abreast of emerging news around VOCA funding. We’re also letting people know of the many ways that they can take action to help avert or offset these historic cuts.

Ways to Support Lumina Alliance: 

 

  • Donate to our Emergency Support Fund. Now more than ever, your financial support matters.
  • Call or email your representatives. Ask them to backfill the $200 million needed to sustain ongoing funding for victim services in California. 
  • Share your story. Join our Storytellers Bureau and let your community know how you’ve been impacted by sexual or intimate partner violence. Help us communicate how crucial Lumina Alliance services can be for survivors.
  • Volunteer. Learn how you can donate your time to help us maintain these vital services. 
Female students holding hands.

VOCA Phone Scripts

We understand that contacting your representatives can be daunting, so we have provided a sample email and phone script you can use. You can find out who your state representatives are at findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.

Email Script

Hello,

 

My name is (Your Name) from (Your City and Zip Code) and I’m emailing you today about an important issue for our community. As you are likely aware, VOCA, the Victims of Crime Act, grant funding is expected to be significantly reduced in the 2024 Fiscal Year by almost 37%. The current proposed funding cap would severely hinder the ability of local agencies in my county to continue serving the most vulnerable populations, and could have a catastrophic impact on the overall health and well-being of my community.

 

 

(If you have benefited from Lumina Alliance or another organization’s services that may be impacted by this funding cap and would wish to share it, you can do so here.)

 

 

That’s why I’m asking you to provide $200 million in ongoing funding for victim services, and to prevent these federal cuts from impacting survivors of crime and provide ongoing stability to crime victim services in the state.

 

 

Thank you for your time,

Phone Script

Hello, 

 

I would like to make a comment to (Representative Name) regarding ongoing funding for victim services. 

 

(The staff member may offer to take a message, or they may transfer you)

 

Hello, my name is (Your Name) from (Your City and Zip Code), and I’m calling today about an important issue for our community. As you are likely aware, VOCA, the Victims of Crime Act, grant funding is expected to be significantly reduced in the 2024 Fiscal Year by almost 37%. The current proposed funding cap would severely hinder the ability of local agencies in my county to continue serving the most vulnerable populations. It could have a catastrophic impact on the overall health and well-being of my community. 

 

(If you have benefited from Lumina Alliance or another organization’s services that may be impacted by this funding cap and would wish to share it, you can do so here.)

 

That’s why I’m asking you to provide $200 million in ongoing funding for victim services, and to prevent these federal cuts from impacting survivors of crime and provide ongoing stability to crime victim services in the state.   

 

Thank you for your time.