28 C.F.R. § 94.118 requires subrecipients to “contribute (i.e., match) not less than 20 percent (cash or in-kind) of the total cost of each project." Matching requirements are automatically waived for subrecipients “that are federally recognized American Indian or Alaska Native Tribes, or projects that operate on Tribal lands" and for subrecipients “that are territories or possessions of the United States (except for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico), or projects that operate therein."
The VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021 (VOCA Fix) (Public Law No: 117- 27) amended the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984 (codified at 34 U.S.C. § 20101 et seq.).
The VOCA Fix, sec. 3, codified at 34 U.S.C. § 20103(a)(7) and (8), allows State Administering Agencies (SAAs) to waive the VOCA Assistance Program matching requirement, which, for the VOCA Assistance Program, is currently set out in 28 C.F.R. § 94.118. It requires SAAs to establish and make public match waiver policies that describe how to request a match waiver, the eligibility criteria for the waiver, and the decision/notification process; and report waiver approvals to OVC. It also requires that SAAs issue match waivers for subrecipients during a pandemic national emergency, and for 1 year after it ends.
The national emergency ended on May 11, 2023, so beginning on May 11, 2024, states will no longer be required to automatically waive match for subrecipients and should begin to review and approve requests for match waivers under the state’s established match waiver policy.
Additionally, OVC further extended this deadline until the end of the applicable VOCA subaward period to allow states and subrecipients to streamline administration and management of their VOCA Victim Assistance funding. New VOCA subawards or continuations made on May 11, 2024, or thereafter, will no longer qualify for mandatory match waiver.
Match Waiver Webinar
This webinar provides information for VOCA administrators about OVC’s match waiver policy and how to complete the match waiver spreadsheet. The webinar was hosted by The OVC Center for VOCA Administrators.