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Delaware 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 Delaware'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?
Delaware 2021 survey responses
What is your state’s process for federal grant applications and the approval process?
“All federal and non-federal grant applications are coordinated through the Delaware State Clearinghouse Committee. The Committee meets in a public setting monthly to review and approve grant and other funding applications to the Federal government. The Clearinghouse process and grant application process run concurrently though an agency must receive Clearinghouse approval prior to expending grant funds.
"The Clearinghouse Committee includes the Chair and Vice Chairperson of the Joint Finance Committee; Controller General (or designee); Director of the Office of Management and Budget (or designee); Secretary of State (or designee); Secretary of Finance (or designee); and four members of the General Assembly.
"For additional information please refer to the Clearinghouse website, which can be found at http://budget.delaware.gov/clearinghouse/index.shtml and also the enabling statutes at http://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c076/index.shtml.”
What is the approval process when the legislature is not in session?
“The approval process is the same regardless of when the Legislature is in session.”
How does the legislature monitor the intent of federal grants?
“The Legislature monitors the intent of federal grants through the Clearinghouse Committee review process. Delaware code includes the powers, duties and functions of the committee in which they may request any state department, agency, public or higher education receiving a grant to submit a detailed report of expenditures and program measures for the fiscal period in question.”
What is your state’s contingency plan for state financing in the case of losses or decline in federal funds?
“Delaware is not required by law to assume funding for any reduction of federal funds; however, it is at the State’s discretion to offset any of those reductions through the annual operating budget process.”
What is your state’s quality control process for tracking the effectiveness of federal funds?
“When submitting the annual request for approval from the Clearinghouse Committee, agencies submit measurable objectives and whether or not the objectives were met during the prior grant period. If there are questions regarding the measurable objectives or effectiveness of a grant, the Office of Management and Budget reaches out to the agency inquiring about the effectiveness or reasoning behind specific measurable objectives to ensure federal funds are being used for which they were intended.”
Does your state attempt to estimate the cost of federal fund requirements? If so, how?
“Yes, when an agency submits their grant application for review, they must include a detailed budget for all federal, state and other funds (if applicable). If there is a state match requirement, prior to approval by the committee, OMB verifies that the agency has available budget to meet the needs of the state match requirement.”
How does your state prioritize federal funds to best meet the needs of constituents?
“Each state agency seeks their own federal funding opportunities and is required to prioritize federal funding to best meet the goals of their agency and the needs of the constituents.”
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?
“Federal funds coming to state agencies are not budgeted in the annual operating budget, however they are tracked and administered through the state’s integrated accounting system.”
Who has decision rights over American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Fiscal Recovery Fund allocations in your state?
“The Governor, in communication with the General Assembly will be responsible for the allocation of ARPA State Fiscal Recovery Funds in Delaware. All funds must be approved by the Delaware State Clearinghouse Committee.”
Who has decision rights over Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund allocations in your state?
“The Delaware Department of Education was responsible for working with districts in the programing and distribution of formula based ESSER funds to LEA’s. Information, including the State’s plan and LEA plans can be found at: https://www.doe.k12.de.us/domain/626. The Governor and Delaware Department of Education are responsible for determining the programming of discretionary ESSER funds as well as GEER Funds. All funds must be approved by the Delaware State Clearinghouse Committee.”
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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