Alabama responses to the federal grant review process survey, 2021
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States employ a variety of processes to apply for and administer federal grants. Ballotpedia's 2021 state survey of the federal grant review process examined the general processes applied by the 50 states in order to seek and distribute federal funds.
Research from the Pew Charitable Trusts found that federal funds made up 32% (roughly $639 billion) of all state revenue in 2017, making them the second-largest source of state revenue behind state tax collections.[1] States direct federal funds to government programs related to education, healthcare, transportation, infrastructure, and other policies.[1]
This page features Alabama's responses to Ballotpedia's 2021 survey.
Background
From August 5, 2021, to September 27, 2021, Ballotpedia staff contacted the executive and legislative budget offices of all 50 states via email and/or telephone to update a publicly available 2016 survey on state approaches to the federal grant review process.
Our staff contacted state officials with the following survey questions:
- Approval processes for federal grants
- What is your state’s process for federal grant applications and the approval process?
- What is your state’s approval process when the legislature is not in session?
- How does the legislature monitor the intent of federal grants? What legislative rules allow the state greater oversight of federal funds in the budgets?
- Contingency plans for the loss or decline of federal funds
- What is your state’s contingency plan in the case of a decline or loss of federal funds?
- Quality control processes for federal grants
- What is your state’s quality control process for tracking the effectiveness of federal funds?
- Does your state attempt to estimate the cost of federal fund requirements? If so, how?
- How does your state prioritize federal funds to best meet the needs of constituents?
- If your state doesn’t appropriate key federal funds like food stamps and unemployment benefits, are your state’s federal funds off-budget? How do you track this information?
Our staff also contacted state officials with the following two new survey questions regarding federal funds made available in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic:
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic funds
- Who has decision rights over American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Fiscal Recovery Fund allocations in your state?
- Who has decision rights over Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund allocations in your state?
Alabama 2021 survey responses
What is your state’s process for federal grant applications and the approval process?
"Alabama is decentralized. Federal grant applications are completed and submitted independently by state agencies."
What is the approval process when the legislature is not in session?
"The annual appropriations bills contain a section of language appropriating all grants in excess of the appropriations contained in the bill. Agencies apply for grants independently and submit necessary grant award documentation to the Budget Office to increase their appropriation authority."
How does the legislature monitor the intent of federal grants?
"The Budget Office provides a compilation report annually to the Legislative Council that details the aggregate value of federal receipts by agency compared to aggregate amount of federal funds appropriated. Upon review of the report, the Legislative Council may revise appropriations or take any other action upon majority approval of the council members."
What is your state’s contingency plan for state financing in the case of losses or decline in federal funds?
"The annual compilation report provided to the Legislature by the Budget Office contains contingency operating plans for a reduction of 5% or more in federal funds and a reduction of 25% or more in federal funds each agency receives. Upon review of the report, the Legislative Council may revise appropriations or take any other action upon majority approval of the council members."
What is your state’s quality control process for tracking the effectiveness of federal funds?
"Agencies are required to submit quarterly performance reports. Many of these items relate to the reach of federal dollars and the citizens and programs served."
Does your state attempt to estimate the cost of federal fund requirements? If so, how?
"No."
How does your state prioritize federal funds to best meet the needs of constituents?
"The state always attempts to avoid cutting matching dollars so as not to affect the receipt of federal funds."
If your state does not appropriate key federal funds like food stamps and unemployment benefits, are your state’s federal funds off budget? How do you track this information?
"N/A"
Who has decision rights over American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Fiscal Recovery Fund allocations in your state?
"The State of Alabama Legislature will appropriate funds allocated from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Fiscal Recovery Fund in a supplemental appropriation bill."
Who has decision rights over Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund allocations in your state?
"The ARPA requires the Alabama State Dept. of Education to allocate 90% of the ESSER funds to the local education agencies. The remaining 10% may be used by the Alabama State Dept. of Education for emergency needs through subgrants or contracts. The local education agencies must reserve 20% of their funds to address learning loss.
"Alabama’s legislature requires the State Superintendent of Education (Dr. Eric Mackey) shall encourage the local education agencies to use ESSER funds for one-time non-recurring expenses to address the coronavirus pandemic in public schools according to Section 5(b) of the FY2022 Education Trust Fund Budget (Act 2021-342)."
Other state survey responses
Click on a state below to view its responses to the 2021 survey on the federal grant review process:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
See also
- State survey of the federal grant review process, 2021
- State responses to the federal grant review process survey, 2021
- State responses by question to the federal grant review process survey, 2021
- Federalism
External links
Footnotes
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