Virginia Code 63.2-601.2: Statewide Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program Funding Pool Program
A. The Department shall develop a Statewide TANF Program Funding Pool Program (the Funding Pool Program) and shall allocate to the Funding Pool Program that portion of the TANF block grant to be awarded to service providers for expanded TANF programs, which shall include all funds not transferred to the Social Services Block Grant or used for cash assistance, employment services, or child-care benefits through the TANF program, up to an amount equal to 12 percent of the total amount of the TANF block grant for that year.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 63.2-601.2
- Department: means the State Department of Social Services. See Virginia Code 63.2-100
- Includes: means includes, but not limited to. See Virginia Code 1-218
- Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
- Process: includes subpoenas, the summons and complaint in a civil action, and process in statutory actions. See Virginia Code 1-237
- Social services: means foster care, adoption, adoption assistance, child-protective services, domestic violence services, or any other services program implemented in accordance with regulations adopted by the Board. See Virginia Code 63.2-100
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
- TANF: means the program administered by the Department through which a relative can receive monthly cash assistance for the support of his eligible children. See Virginia Code 63.2-100
B. Prior to submission of its proposed biennial budget to the Governor, the Department shall issue a Request for Proposals for use of available funds from the Funding Pool Program to service providers providing expanded TANF programs through a competitive process that is designed in a manner that ensures that all service providers in the Commonwealth, regardless of size or geographic location, are afforded the opportunity to apply for funds. All programs and services funded through the Funding Pool Program shall comply with all federal and state statutory and regulatory requirements and shall serve the stated purposes of the TANF program.
C. In developing the Request for Proposals, the Department shall include:
1. A long-range planning and priority-setting process to identify state and local service needs and avoid overlap or duplication of services. The planning and priority-setting process shall include opportunity for citizen participation and consideration of local and statewide service needs and priorities;
2. A competitive process, to include uniform eligibility criteria for service providers seeking funding and uniform application and selection procedures for comparable service categories;
3. Uniform oversight, administrative, and reporting requirements for service providers receiving funding through the Funding Pool Program; and
4. Uniform program evaluation criteria to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of comparable services funded through the Funding Pool Program.
D. The Department shall require all service providers applying for funding through the Funding Pool Program to submit a detailed proposal that includes a proposed budget, proposed program outcomes, and proposed program outcome measures. Following review of applications for funding received pursuant to this section, the Department shall provide a summary of the requests for funding and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly of the programs to be funded in the proposed biennial budget, the levels of funding recommended, and the rationale for such recommendations, and the Governor shall consider such recommendations in developing the proposed budget.
E. The Department shall require all providers receiving Funding Pool Program funds to report annually on the use of the funds and outcomes achieved and shall include such information in its annual report to the General Assembly.