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New Mexico 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 New Mexico'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?
New Mexico 2021 survey responses
What is your state’s process for federal grant applications and the approval process?
“Generally, each state agency is responsible for submitting federal grant application for their respective state agency. If required by federal agency, the application will also be approved by the Governor.”
What is the approval process when the legislature is not in session?
“Same. Legislature does not need to approve federal grant applications/federal funding. The exception is TANF: federal regulations require legislature to appropriate by various categories of expenditures.”
How does the legislature monitor the intent of federal grants?
“Often there are performance measures related to federal grants that the legislature will use to monitor grants. Due to judicial decision of New Mexico courts, it was determined that the legislature could not bind the Executive’s power to obtain federal funds. Legislature also maintains Program Evaluation unit which will review and evaluate programs for compliance with federal grant guidelines and best practices and evidence-based program design.”
What is your state’s contingency plan for state financing in the case of losses or decline in federal funds?
“If there is a threat of a loss or significant decrease in federal funds, the state agency effected would institute cost reduction/containment activities that would ultimately lead to a reduction in services. In rare cases there might be an attempt to supplant lost federal funds with state funds.”
What is your state’s quality control process for tracking the effectiveness of federal funds?
“The state has established performance-based budgeting process that tracts key program outcomes and program effectiveness. Most large state agencies maintain Inspector General Office and/or ombudsman programs that can track the effectiveness of federal programs. In addition the state has recently hired additional staff at the Department of Finance & Administration the state’s fiscal agency to track, monitor and report on federal funding throughout state government. These staff will also provide technical assistance to state agencies and provide information on federal funding opportunities."
Does your state attempt to estimate the cost of federal fund requirements? If so, how?
“Most agencies would conduct a cost/benefit analysis which would include any analysis of current and future impacts of federal grants on state resources. This analysis impacts decision making process. The state might decide decline, for example, to pursue a discretionary grant if matching costs or maintenance of effort costs are considered to exorbitant.”
How does your state prioritize federal funds to best meet the needs of constituents?
“The state attempts to maximize federal funding to meet needs of constituents. New Mexico, for example, did expand Medicaid under ACA. The state frequently applies for pilot/demonstration funding in order to explore potential impact of new initiatives/best practices on state services. The newly hired staff will review federal funds that have been awarded to the state, they will use this information to help prioritize and maximize the expenditure of these funds. In addition, most state agencies work together to collaborate on major initiatives. A good example is our education block, the Early Childhood Education and Care Department, Public Education Department and Higher Education Department collaborate on a regular basis to implement the Cradle to Career Initiative in our state.”
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 are in budget appropriated by legislature but agencies have authority to adjust budgets throughout the fiscal year to reflect increases/decreases in federal funds.”
Who has decision rights over American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Fiscal Recovery Fund allocations in your state?
“The Executive has the decision rights over the American Rescue Plan Act funding but seeks input from the Legislature.”
Who has decision rights over Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund allocations in your state?
“As mentioned above, there are three departments that collaborate on early childhood, elementary and secondary school initiatives. Proposals are submitted to the Executive for final decisions.”
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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