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Texas 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 Texas' 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?
Texas 2021 survey responses
What is your state’s process for federal grant applications and the approval process?
“The process for federal grant applications and approvals varies by federal program rules and regulations. For example, some federal programs require that governors designate or approve the administrating agency for the grant being considered or that state agencies gather stakeholder input on the purpose of the funds, distribution methodology, and which community partnerships will participate in the implementation of grant programs. Additionally, some state agencies have additional internal approval processes that require review and approval of grant applications by their respective agency leadership. For example, the Department of State Health Services staff submit an Executive Summary and Staff Recommendation form to the Health and Human Services Commission when applying for a federal grants that includes the number of 100% federally funded Full Time Employees (FTEs); whether current state programs and funding align; any match or maintenance of effort requirements; the impact of federal funding if discontinued; and any previous discussions with state legislative leadership regarding similar funding issues or policy areas.”
What is the approval process when the legislature is not in session?
“State agencies are authorized to receive federal funds during the interim by Article IX, Section 13.01 (b) of the 2022-23 General Appropriations Act (GAA). This section appropriates funds received from the federal government to the agency or institution for the purposes for which the federal grant, allocation, aid, payment, or reimbursement was made for amounts less than $10 million above what was appropriated to the agency in their respective bill pattern. For amounts in excess of $10 million above what the agency has already been appropriated, additional notification and approval requirements must be met before the agency can receive or expend such funds as directed by Article IX, Section 13.02 of the 2022-23 GAA.”
How does the legislature monitor the intent of federal grants?
“The Legislature, through the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), monitors agencies' and institutions' expenditures at various points during the two year budget cycle, including expenditures and obligations of federal grant funding. This information is included in their Operating Budgets, Base Reconciliations, and Legislative Appropriation Requests, and other reports. Additionally, Article IX, Section 13.02 of the 2022-23 GAA requires any new federal funding in excess of $10 million above the agency's or institution's appropriation to be reported to the LBB and the Governor, including the intended purpose of the grant. There are also numerous agency-specific GAA riders that authorize, place limitations on, or appropriate Federal Funds, or direct the use of such funds.”
What is your state’s contingency plan for state financing in the case of losses or decline in federal funds?
“Article IX, Section 13.07 of the 2022-23 GAA states that if federal programs that authorize federal funds that are appropriated in the GAA are eliminated, consolidated, or replaced with new federal programs and funding authorization or block grants, or the federal funds appropriated to agencies are reduced, any reduction or reallocation of federal funds will be distributed across affected agencies and programs to pattern the strategies and programs included in the Act to the extent possible without restricting the state's ability to receive federal funds in accordance with a plan adopted by the designated single state agency or otherwise by each affected agency. An agency shall provide a copy of the plan to the LBB and the Governor. Additionally, because federal funds are estimated in the GAA, there are also agency specific riders that provide state agencies the authority to transfer General Revenue to address any shortfalls of federal funding in the amount of the estimate or decrease in federal funds.”
What is your state’s quality control process for tracking the effectiveness of federal funds?
“State programs funded with federal funds are subject to evaluations and audits by federal and state agencies. The federal funds grant application process may include a requirement that state agencies provide an evaluation component of the federal program that will be implemented.”
Does your state attempt to estimate the cost of federal fund requirements? If so, how?
“The LBB and the Governor will, on an ad hoc basis, collect an estimate of the requirements from federal programs. For example, Operating Budgets and Legislative Appropriations Requests include submission schedules related to various federal programs such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). State Agencies and Institutions reported the costs of implementing ACA requirements in these schedules.”
How does your state prioritize federal funds to best meet the needs of constituents?
“Prioritizing federal funds begins at the federal level with the establishment of rules and regulations that direct the purposes and funding distribution for federal programs. From there, state agencies and the legislature may determine how best to use those funds to meet the needs and priorities of the state while working within the parameters set forth by our federal partners.”
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 government direct payments to individuals, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, unemployment benefits, and Social Security disability payments, are not received by the state, and are therefore not appropriated in the GAA or considered off budget.”
Who has decision rights over American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Fiscal Recovery Fund allocations in your state?
“The state administrator and recipient of the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (CSFR) is the Office of the Governor, however, the state legislature included new language in Article IX, Section 13.01 of the 2022-23 GAA that specifically excludes any appropriation or expenditure of CSFR in the current GAA. In order to appropriate the state's award, the Governor will have to call the legislature to a special session in which the funds are appropriated.”
Who has decision rights over Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund allocations in your state?
“The state administrator and recipient of ESSER funding is the Texas Education Agency, however, like other federal grants, the legislature has the ability and authority to appropriate funding and direct its use through the GAA and the riders included within it.”
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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