Funding cuts ‘devastating’ N.Y. victim assistance programs

The GOP ranking member of the New York Senate’s Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee is calling on the New York State Comptroller’s Office to look into the process in which the state allocates funding for services to rape crisis, domestic violence and child advocacy centers.

This is amid news that some victim assistance programs statewide are not receiving the same amount of funding this upcoming cycle compared to years past.

“We can’t get that information right now from OVS (Office of Victim Services) because they’re saying it’s the ‘procurement process,’” said state Sen. Rob Rolison. “I think the state Comptroller’s Office really needs to take a hard look at this because unless we’re going to increase funding dramatically, we should be looking at the way the funding that we do have and has been allocated in the state budget is being spent.”

Rolison along with other Senate Republicans are speaking out amid the cuts, urging Gov. Kathy Hochul in a letter to increase funding for these assistance programs.

Senate Republicans writing in their letter: “We find it deeply troubling that this year’s record setting State Budget of $277 billion, $23 billion more than last year’s budget, did not include sufficient funding for critical centers that help survivors, including children of sexual assault and domestic violence.”

Hochul in recent public comments has said: “This is an issue that’s really important to me. My family, my mother, was involved in setting up homes for victims of domestic violence. It’s been part of my family’s duty to take care of victims of all crimes. But I want to be clear, this is not a cut. It is not a cut. I’ve actually increased the funding dramatically from about $14 million to over $40 million just in the time I’ve been Governor. But the challenge is, that just in the last year, we’ve had over 100 more organizations apply for the same amount of money. It was not a funding cut, but also there has been a reduction of support from the federal government. So, we are working hard to find solutions. I want to make sure they know I support their mission, I believe in it, and we’re going to be there for them. But it was not a funding cut, just more people want the resources, literally 100 more than last time we had people apply. So that’s been a challenge for us, but we’re addressing it.” 

By state law, the Office of Victim Services says it is required to maintain a “competitive procurement process.”

“OVS received an unprecedented response to its 2026 request for applications (RFA) to fund victim assistance programs statewide: 316 applicants sought $626.1 million over two years, which exceeded the funding available by $373.1 million,” said an OVS spokesperson. “Never in its history has OVS received that many applicants seeking that level of funding. Every RFA begins a new funding cycle. OVS cannot provide preferential treatment to currently funded programs or consider current funding when making award decisions. The incredible demand, the state’s competitive procurement process, and federal rules and funding uncertainty, required us to make difficult decisions. The $126.5 million to be awarded annually represents the single largest investment in victim services in the state’s history, allowing us to fund more programs and reach more New Yorkers in need.”

Advocates tell Spectrum News 1 they are “devastated.” They’re calling on Hochul to “make a statement” and “give insight” to programs as they urge her to increase funding.

In Broome County, the executive director of the Crime Victims Assistance Center, Christine Battisti, said it’s experiencing a 70% reduction in funding.

“We really need people to speak out,” said Battisti. “For a long time, I think nonprofits, especially in this industry, we just kind of take what’s given to us and make the best of it, but that can no longer be the case. You can’t build public safety on leftovers.”

In Orange and Sullivan counties, the executive director of Fearless! Hudson Valley, Kellyann Kostyal-Larrier, said it’s experiencing a nearly 30% decrease in funding.

“Almost $500,000 annually that we’ll be facing a deficit,” said Kostyal-Larrier. “This is on the heels of the same funding since 2022 with an inability to appropriately ask for an increase in cost-of-living for staff, increase salaries.”

In a statement to Spectrum News 1, Mary Mueller, spokesperson for the New York State Comptroller’s Office, said: “The State Comptroller’s Office does not decide which organizations receive funding or how much they get. The Office of Victim Services makes those decisions through its competitive grant process. The contracts associated with the current awards have not yet been submitted to our office. When they are submitted, we will conduct our independent review as required by law.”