Ohio 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 Ohio'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?
Ohio 2021 survey responses
What is your state’s process for federal grant applications and the approval process?
“Agencies may apply for federal grants under their own authority or may be required to apply based upon legislative language. The legislature establishes appropriation authority for federal funds via budget bills and through State Controlling Board actions. If there is insufficient appropriation authority in the relevant line items to expend federal grant funding, additional appropriation authority can be provided via legislation or Controlling Board action.”
What is the approval process when the legislature is not in session?
“If federal grants are received that require an increase in appropriation authority to expend the funds, the State Controlling Board may increase appropriation authority.”
How does the legislature monitor the intent of federal grants?
“The legislature reviews agency spending, both historical and proposed, and may set appropriation authority (with executive review). In addition to information provided by state agencies for which funds are appropriated, the Legislative Service Commission also provides budgetary information to the legislature.”
What is your state’s contingency plan for state financing in the case of losses or decline in federal funds?
“Federal funds are monitored by the relevant state agencies and by the Office of Budget and Management. If federal funds decline or are eliminated, the state manages remaining resources to the available levels, taking management action to reduce spending as necessary. Section 124.29 of the Ohio Revised Code (enacted in our current budget bill) includes authority to temporarily furlough employees should federal funds be reduced.”
What is your state’s quality control process for tracking the effectiveness of federal funds?
“Relevant state agencies track requirements specified in the grant awards.”
Does your state attempt to estimate the cost of federal fund requirements? If so, how?
“Estimates of federal fund requirements are performed on an ad hoc basis.”
How does your state prioritize federal funds to best meet the needs of constituents?
“When possible, state agencies align available federal funding with key agency objectives established by the executive and legislative branches on behalf of the citizens of the state. When the federal requirements associated with certain federal funds do not align with the objectives of the state, federal funds are declined when possible.”
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?
“The state generally appropriates federal funds that flow through the state, including administration-related funding for food stamps (SNAP) and unemployment benefits. There are certain federal programs that have state involvement but are not subject to state budgetary approval. For example, while the state issues EBT cards to SNAP recipients, vendors receive reimbursement directly from the federal government. Regarding unemployment compensation, the state receives taxes and pays benefits outside the state accounting system through custodial funds. The relevant state agency tracks benefit information using federal data.”
Who has decision rights over American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Fiscal Recovery Fund allocations in your state?
“As with any appropriations, the Ohio General Assembly appropriates funds through a bill and the Governor signs the bill into law.”
Who has decision rights over Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund allocations in your state?
“As with any appropriations, the Ohio General Assembly appropriates funds through a bill and the Governor signs the bill into law.”
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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